o-t: 


LIBRARY 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

SANTA  BARBARA 


GIFT   OF   HISS   PEARL   CHASE 


THE    NEAR    EAST 


His    Majesty    King   Peter    I.    of   Servia. 


The  Near  East 


THE  PRESENT  SITUATION  IN  MONTE- 
NEGRO, BOSNIA,  SERVIA,  BULGARIA, 
ROUMANIA,  TURKEY  AND  MACEDONIA 


Illustrated  by  photographs  by  the 

author  and  Princess  Xenia 

of  Montenegro 


New  York 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Company 

1907 


PREFACE 


THE  reason  of  the  anonymity  of  this  book  is  obvious. 
Revealing  as  it  does  the  actual    state  of    affairs  in 
the  Balkan  Peninsula  in  this  present  year   of    grace   1907, 
it  contains  many  plain  truths  and  much  outspoken  criticism. 

By  a  long  journey  of  close,  confidential  inquiry  through 
Montenegro,  Northern  Albania,  Dalmatia,  Bosnia,  Herzegovina, 
Servia,  Bulgaria,  Roumania,  Turkey,  and  Macedonia,  I  have, 
at  risk  of  betraying  certain  information  imparted  to  me  under 
seal  of  secrecy,  endeavoured  to  place  the  actual  and  serious 
truth  before  English  readers,  and  thus  render  complicated 
questions,  such  as  Bulgaria  and  the  Exarchate,  more  intel- 
ligible than  heretofore. 

Private  audiences  were  granted  me  by  the  various  kings 
and  princes  of  the  Balkan  States,  and  by  His  Imperial  Majesty 
the  Sultan,  as  well  as  by  almost  each  member  of  the  various 
Cabinets  in  turn,  so  that  I  was  enabled  to  gather  informa- 
tion, some  of  which  is,  of  course,  known  in  the  chancelleries 
of  Europe,  while  other  facts  will  probably  come  as  a  revela- 
tion, even  to  Balkan  diplomats  themselves. 

What  I  was  told  in  one  country  was  often  contradicted 
in  the  next.  Yet,  possessing  many  "  friends  at  Court,"  I 
was  afforded  unique  facilities  for  studying,  in  each  country. 


6  TREFACE 

the  various  questions  on  the  spot.  My  inspection  of  the 
Scn'ian  prisons,  in  company  with  the  Minister  of  Justice, 
was.  for  instance,  the  first  occasion  upon  which  a  foreigner 
has  been  allowed  to  study  the  penal  system  in  that  country  ; 
while  I  am,  I  believe,  the  only  Englishman  to  visit  and  be 
the  guest  of  those  wild  brigandish  tribes  of  Northern  Albania. 

The  secret  aims  and  aspirations  of  the  various  Balkan 
States  heroin  explained  are  based  upon  actual  information 
gathered  from  confidential  and  reliable  sources.  The  ex- 
posure of  the  shameful  German  and  Austrian  intrigues  is 
no  mere  idle  denunciation,  but  are  actual  facts,  as  revealed 
to  me  by  certain  Cabinet  Ministers  and  other  persons  equally 
responsible,  and  supported  by  documentary  evidence  which 
I  have  had  through  my  own  hands. 

As  regards  that  land  of  terror,  fire,  and  sword,  Macedonia, 
I  can  only  say  that  I  have  spared  the  reader  many  horrifying 
details  and  photographs  of  what  I  saw  there  with  my  own 
eyes.  The  blood  of  those  poor  defenceless  women  and  children 
who  are  daily  slaughtered  by  Greek  bands  cries  aloud  to 
Europe  for  vengeance. 

Will  there  be  war  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey  during 
the  present  year  ? 

To  arrive  at  a  definite  conclusion  upon  that  very  serious 
point  was  one  of  the  chief  objects  of  my  inquiry,  and  this 
record  of  its  result — injudicious  though  I  may  be  in  putting 
it  in  print — wiU  probably  be  read  with  interest  by  many  to 
whom  the  Near  East,  with  its  mysteries,  its  constant  plots, 
and  its  tangled  pohtics,  is  as  a  closed  book. 

All  through  the  Balkan  Peninsula  the  weak  are  to-day 
being  crushed  by  the  strong.  The  Austrian  Eagle  has  over- 
shadowed and  grasped  Bosnia,  she  has  her  talons  into  Servia, 
and  is  casting  covetous  glances  upon  gallant  little  Montenegro. 
On  the  other  hand,  as  part  of  the  secret  policy  of  Christian 


PREFACE  7 

Germany  in  her  advance  southward,  the  poor  defenceless 
Macedonians  are  being  daily  outraged,  murdered,  or  burned 
alive — the  true  facts  being  always  suppressed  and  the  news 
scarcely  ever  being  allowed  to  leak  out — while  the  Kaiser 
every  day  lifts  his  eyes  to  Heaven,  implores  the  Divine  aid, 
and  consigns  the  destinies  of  his  Empire  to  the  direction  of 
the  Almighty ! 

To  Germany,  in  great  measure,  is  the  present  terrible 
state  of  Macedonia  due.  Her  diplomacy  at  the  Sublime 
Porte  has  recently  exposed,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  she  secretly 
aids  Greece  and  abets  the  Greek  bands  in  their  nefarious 
work  of  outrage,  murder,  and  extermination. 

The  Kaiser  could,  by  simply  lifting  his  hand,  stem  the 
blood-lust  of  those  armed  hordes,  and  bring  peace  and  security 
to  the  Macedonian  population.  But  his  secret  policy  is  to  create 
disorder  in  that  terror-stricken  country,  so  that  Bulgaria 
and  Turkey  must  be  compelled,  ere  long,  to  fly  at  each  other's 
throats. 

Therefore  he  closes  his  Imperial  eyes  to  those  scenes  of 
wanton  slaughter  that  daily  are  a  disgrace  to  our  civilisation 
in  this  twentieth  century,  and  matters  are  rapidly  going 
from  bad  to  worse. 

Sofia,  April  1907. 


CONTENTS 


MONTENEGRO 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY 

PAGE 

Why  I  went  to  the  Balkans — The  road  to  Montenegro — Cettinje  and  its 
petroleum  tins — About  the  blood-feud  —  England  and  Montenegro  — 
Warned  not  to  attempt  to  go  to  Albania— My  guide  a  marked  man — The 
story  of  Tef — A  woman's  fickleness,  and  its  sequel .  .  .  .19 

CHAPTER  II 

AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS 

The  Palace  at  Cettinje — A  cigarette  with  the  Prince — The  policy  of  Montenegro 
— A  confidential  chat — His  Royal  Highness's  admiration  for  England — 
His  views  upon  Macedonia — He  urges  me  not  to  attempt  to  go  to  Albania, 
but  I  persuade  him  to  help  me — His  Highness's  kindness — Souvenirs         .       29 


NORTHERN  ALBANIA 

CHAPTER  I 

INTO  A  SAVAGE  REGION 

Wildest  Albania — Warnings  not  to  attempt  to  travel  there — I  decide  to  go,  and 
take  Palok — Prince  Nicholas  of  Montenegro  bids  us  farewell — On  the 
Lake  of  Scutari — Arrival  at  Skodra — Passports,  rabble,  and  backsheesh — 
Photographing  the  fortress  in  secret — Treading  dangerous  ground — Albania 
the  Unknown  ........       41 

CHAPTER  II 

WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP 

Fired  at  in  the  street  of  Skodra — My  comfortless  inn — Panorama  of  life  — 
Armed  bands  of  wild  mountaineers  in  the  streets— The  Sign  of  the  Cross— 
Scutarine  people — The  fascination  of  Skodra — In  the  den  of  my  friend 
Salko — Making   purchases — Short   shrift   with   swindlers — Some    genuine 
antiques — Ragged  and  shoeless  soldiers  of  the  Sultan — Men  shot  in  the 
blood-feud — "  It  is  nothing  !  "  .  .  .  .  .  .48 

9 


10  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  III 
THE  LAWLESS  LAND 

PAGE 

My  friend  Pietro — Visit  to  his  house — Ilis  wife  and  sister-in-law  unveil  and  are 
photoj^raphcd — Scutarine  hospitality—  Forbidden  newspapers — I  get  one 
in  secret — The  Turkish  post  otTice — I  want  to  visit  the  Accursed  Mountains 
—  Difficulties  and  fears — The  Feast  of  the  Madonna — Christians  and 
Mohammedans — My  first  meeting  with  the  dreaded  Skreli — Shots  in  the 
night 58 

CHAPTER  IV 

IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS 

Vatt  Marashi,  chief  of  the  Skreli  tribe,  invites  me  to  become  his  guest — Our 
start  for  the  Accursed  Mountains — Rok,  our  guide — Independence  of  the 
Skreli — Brigandage  and  the  bessa — A  night  under  a  rock — My  meeting 
with  Vatt  Marashi  and  his  band — The  Skreli  welcome — How  they  treat 
the  Turks — Vatt's  admissions — I  become  the  guest  of  brigands — A  chat  in 
the  moonlight  ........       68 

CHAPTER  V 

LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND 

The  Skreli  a  lawless  tribe — No  man's  life  safe  unless  the  chief  gives  his  word 
— Vatt  prophesies  a  rising  against  the  Turks — Our  walks  and  talks— Our 
meeting  with  our  neighbours  the  Kastrati,  and  with  Ded  Presci  their  chief 
— A  girl  who  avenged  her  husband's  death — ^The  significant  story  of  Kol 
— Manners  and  customs  of  the  wild  tribes — Farewell  to  my  good  friend 
Ded — An  incident  a  fortnight  later ,  .  .  .  .  .       8t 


BOSNIA  AND  HERZEGOVINA 

CHAPTER  I 

SOME  REVELATIONS 

Through  Dalmatia  to  Herzegovina — Over  the  Balkan  watershed — Bosnia  and 
Sarayevo — A  half-Turkish,  half-Servian  town — Austrian  persecution  of  the 
Christians — Some  astounding  facts — A  land  of  spies  and  scandals — The 
police  as  murderers — A  disgrace  to  European  civilisation    .  .  '95 

CHAPTER  II 

DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE 

How  spies  work  in  Bosnia — Secret  agents  dog  the  stranger's  footsteps — My 
own  experience — Fighting  the  spy  with  his  own  weapons — To  "nobble" 
the  foreigner — How  an  unfavourable  book  was  purchased  by  the  Austrian 
Government — Bribery  of  Press  correspondents — A  country  worse  than 
Russia — Some  suggested  reforms — The  secret  policy  of  Austria  in  the 
Balkans        .........     108 


CONTENTS  II 


SERVIA 

CHAPTER  I 
THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA 

PAGE 

The  diplomatic  circle  in  Belgrade — Studying  both  sides  of  the  Servian  question 
— Austrian  intrigue — 113  known  foreign  spies  in  Belgrade  ! — An  illustration 
of  the  work  of  secret  agents — Quaint  Servian  customs — Pauperism  un- 
known— Servia  to-day  and  to-morrow         .  .  .  .  .119 

CHAPTER  II 

AN  AUDIENCE  OF  KING  PETER 

At  the  New  Konak — I  sign  His  Majesty's  birthday-book — The  audience- 
chamber — King  Peter  greets  me,  and  we  chat  over  cigarettes — My  private 
audience — His  Majesty  and  English  capitalists — Great  openings  for  British 
enterprise — The  King  gives  me  some  instances  of  paying  concerns,  and  tells 
me  many  interesting  facts — His  Majesty  invites  me  to  return  .  .130 

CHAPTER  III 

SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS 

Audiences  of  M.  Pachitch,  the  Premier  and  "strong  man"  of  Servia,  and  of 
M.  Stoyanovitch,  Minister  of  Commerce — My  friend,  Dr.  Milenko  Ves- 
nitch,  Minister  of  Justice — The  Servian  case  as  I  found  it — Austria  Servia's 
arch-enemy  —  Dr.  Vesnitch  a  smart  up-to-date  politician  —  Undeniable 
prosperity  of  the  country  under  King  Peter's  rule    .  .  .  .136 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA 

Servia  and  the  Macedonian  question — A  sound  Cabinet — England  and  Servia 
— Appointment  of  Mr.  Keethom  Whitehead  as  British  Minister  very  gratify- 
ing to  the  Servians — King  Peter  ever  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  the 
people — What  the  Prime  Minister  told  me  concerning  the  future — The  new 
railway  to  the  Adriatic         .......     I46 

CHAPTER  V 

TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA 

A  retrospect — A  sitting  of  the  Skupshtina — Peasants  as  deputies — Servia  as  an 
open  field  for  British  enterprise — Enormous  mineral  wealth — Mr.  Finney, 
a  mining  engineer  who  has  prospected  in  Servia  for  seventeen  years,  tells 
me  some  interesting  facts  regarding  rich  mines  awaiting  development — No 
adventurers  need  apply        .  .  .  .  ,  ,  ,157 

BULGARIA 

CHAPTER  I 

SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY 

At  the  Bulgarian  frontier — A  chat  with  M.  Etienne,  French  ex-Minister  of  War — 
Evening  in  Sofia — A  city  of  rapid  progress — Engaging  peasants  for  Earl's 
Court  Exhibition — Amusing  episodes — Social  life  in  Sofia — The  diplomats' 
club — The  Bulgarian  Government  grant  me  special  facilities  for  investigation     1 81 


12  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  II 
BULGARIA  AS  A  FIELD  FOR  BRITISH  ENTERPRISE 

PAGE 

Audiences  of  members  of  the  Bulgarian  Cabinet  —  Dr.  Dimitri  Stanciofi", 
Minister  for  Foreign  Aft'airs,  the  coming  man  of  Bulgaria — His  policy — 
Facts  about  the  mineral  wealth  and  mining  laws — Advice  to  traders  and 
capitalists  by  the  British  Vice-Consul  in  Sofia — Our  methods  as  com- 
pared with  those  of  other  nations     ......     191 

CHAPTER  III 

WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR  ? 

A  sitting  of  the  Sobranje — Declarations  by  the  late  Prime  Minister  Petkoff  and 
Dr.  Stancioff — The  new  Minister  of  Foreign  Afl^iirs — A  sound  progressive 
government — Strong  army  and  firm  policy — Will  the  deplorable  state  of 
Macedonia  still  be  tolerated  ? — Ominous  words        ....     197 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE  BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE 

A  difficult  and  little-understood  problem — Bulgaria  the  "dark  horse  "of  the 
Peninsula — An  explanation  of  the  question  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey 
— The  Bulgarian  Church  and  the  Imperial  Firman — The  present  position 
of  the  Exarchate — Europe  should  listen  to  the  Bulgarian  demand — Chats 
with  Macedonian  orphans — Their  terrible  stories    ....     206 

CHAPTER  V 

AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY 

Tobacco  growing  in  Bulgaria — The  otto-of-rose  industry — About  adulteration — 
Difficulties  of  obtaining  the  pure  extract — Corrupting  the  peasant — What 
Monsieur  Shipkoft'  told  me — Some  tests  to  discover  adulteration — Interest- 
ing facts  about  roses  .  .  .  .  .  •  .217 

CHAPTER  VI 

THE  FUTURE  OF  BULGARIA 

Bulgaria's  future  greatness — Her  firm  policy  in  Macedonia — An  audience  of  Dr. 
Stanciofi",  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs — A  chat  with  the  Prime  Minister — 
Turkey  the  enemy  of  Bulgaria — Balkan  "news"  in  the  London  papers — 
How  it  is  manufactured — Turkish  dominion  doomed  .  .  .     226 

ROUMANIA 

CHAPTER  I 

BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY 

My  friend  the  spy — How  I  was  watched  through  the  Balkans — An  exciting 
half-hour — The  Paris  of  the  Near  East — Gaiety,  extravagance,  and  pretty- 
women — Forty  years  of  progress — The  paradise  of  the  idler — Husbands 
wanted !.........     235 

CHAPTER  II 

ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS 

Monsieur  Take  Jonesco,  Minister  of  Finance — The  smartest  man  in  Roumania 
— An  interview  with  General    Lahovary,    Minister   of  Foreign  Affairs — 


CONTENTS  13 


PAGB 

Secret  aims  of  Roumania — A  better  frontier  wanted — Germany's  insincerity 
— Some  plain  truths — The  question  of  a  Balkan  Federation — Oil  wells 
waiting  to  be  exploited  by  British  capital     .....     244 

CHAPTER  III 

A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANIA 

The  royal  drawing-room — Her  Majesty's  greeting — Her  kind  words  of  welcome 
— Roumania  not  in  the  Balkan  States— We  talk  politics— The  name  of 
"  Carmen  Sylva" — The  Queen's  deep  interest  in  the  blind — She  shows  me 
some  photographs — Public  interest  in  the  new  institution — I  visit  it  next  day     253 

TURKEY 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON 

The  Orient  Express  again — On  the  Black  Sea  to  Constantinople — A  disenchant- 
ment— My  dragoman — How  to  bribe  the  Customs  officers — Mud  and  dogs 
— A  city  of  spies — Feebleness  of  British  policy  at  the  Porte — Turkish 
adoration  of  Germany — The  basis  of  my  confidential  inquiries        .  .     265 

CHAPTER  II 

IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH 

His  Excellency  Noury  Pasha — A  quiet  chat  at  his  home — Turkish  view  of 
European  criticism — The  Turk  misunderstood — The  massacres  in 
Macedonia — Mj'  visit  to  the  Sublime  Porte — His  Excellency  Tewfik  Pasha 
tells  me  the  truth — A  great  diplomatist — The  fashion  to  denounce  Turkey 
— The  attitude  of  the  Porte  towards  Bulgaria — Significant  words    .  .     274 

MACEDONIA 

CHAPTER  I 

PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA 

War  imminent  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey — My  secret  inquiries — Atrocities 
by  the  Greek  bands — Chats  with  the  leaders  of  the  insurrection — The 
truth  about  the  intrigues  in  Macedonia — I  visit  the  scene  of  the  massacres 
— Stories  told  to  me — Horrifying  facts — Germany  behind  the  assassins — 
A  disgraceful  truth  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .285 

CHAPTER  II 

THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED 

Summary  of  my  confidential  information — War  this  year — The  attitude  of 
Greece,  Bulgaria,  Roumania,  and  Turkey — Procrastination,  promises, 
and  perfect  politeness — A  matter  more  serious  than  Macedonia — Warning 
to  British  statesmen  and  the  public — The  real  truth  exposed — Germany 
and  India     .........     299 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


His  Majesty  King  Peter  of  Servia    . 
Map  of  the  Author's  Route  through  the  Near  East 
Pero,  my  Montenegrin  Driver 

Albanians  in  Cettinje  ..... 
The  Royal  Palace,  Cettinje    .... 
Principal  Street  in  Cettinje  .... 
His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Nicholas  of  Montenegro 
The  Petroleum  Tins  of  Cettinje 
The  Monastery,  Cettinje  .... 

Mr.  Chas.  Des  Graz,  Charg6  d'affaires  at  Cettinje 
The  Piazza,  Ragusa  ..... 
Ryeka,  Montenegro  ..... 
Zabliak,  Montenegro  ..... 
Palok,  my  Companion  through  the  Skreli  Country 
In  Skodra  (two  views)  ..... 
My  Friend  Salko  outside  his  House  in  Skodra     . 

PlETRO'S    SiSTER-IN-LaW    UNVEILED    BEFORE    THE    CAMERA 

RoK,  Tribesman  of  the  Skreli 

PiETRO  Lekha       ...... 

The  Madonna  of  Skodra  .... 

The  Procession  with  an  Armed  Guard 

The  Mirediti  :  an  Alarm  !         .  .  .  . 

The  Mirediti  at  Prayer  .... 

My  Road  in  Northern  Albania 

The  Way  to  the  Skreli  .... 

Vatt  Marashi,  Chief  of  the  Skreli  Tribe    . 

The  Skreli  at  Home      ..... 

An  Albanian  Village     ..... 

Among  the  Skreli  :  LCk  and  his  Friends     . 
Mrika,  the  Woman  who  carried  on  the  Blood-Feud 
My  Bodyguard  in  Northern  Albania 
bunaquelle,  bosnia        ..... 

Jajace,  Bosnia     ...... 


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LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


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Saravevo,  Bosnia  ...... 

In  Herzegovina  ....... 

His  Excellency  Nicholas  Pachitch,  Prime  Minister  of  Servia 
His    Excellency    Dr.    Milenko    Vesnitch,    Servian    Minister   of 

Justice  ....... 

His  Excellency  Costa  Stoyanovitch,  Servian  Minister  of  Com 

merce  ..... 

The  Royal  Palace,  Belgrade  :  the  Ballroom 
Royal  Palace,  Belgrade  (exterior)  . 
Principal  Boulevard  of  Belgrade     . 
His  Royal  Highness  Prince  George  of  Servia 
Mr.  Beethom  Whitehead,  British  Minister  at  Belgrade 
Mr.  Alex.  Tucker,  Servian  Consul-General  in  London 
The  Road  to  the  East  :  The  Last  View  of  Europe 
Villagers  and  Gipsies  in  Miriavo  (Servia)  . 
The  British  Legation,  Belgrade 
The  Knes  Mihajelowa,  Belgrade 
In  the  "  Kalemegdan,"  Belgrade 
The  Market-Place,  Belgrade  .... 
His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Ferdinand  of  Bulgaria 
Peasants  in  Sofia  Market-Place 
The  Old  Mosque,  Sofia  .... 

His  Excellency  Dr.  Dimitri  Stancioff,  Bulgarian  Minister  of 

Foreign  Affairs       ...... 

The  Late  Monsieur  D.  Petkoff,  Prime  Minister  of  Bulgaria 
The  Royal  Palace,  Sofia  ..... 

The  Main  Boulevard,  Sofia     ..... 

His    Excellency    N.   Ghenadieff,   Bulgarian    Minister    of    Com 

MERCE  ....... 

Early  Morning  in  Sofia  ..... 

On  the  Road  to  the  Shipka    ..... 

The  Bulgarian  Sobranje  .  .  .  .  . 

Gen.  Michael  Savoff,  Bulgarian  Minister  of  War    . 

His  Excellency  L.  Payacoff,  Bulgarian  Minister  of  Finance 

Sir  George  Buchanan,  British  Minister  at  Sofia  . 

Military  Manoeuvres  in  Bulgaria  (two  views) 

Peasants  at  Vladaja,  Bulgaria  .... 

Bulgarian  Military  Types         ..... 

Peasants  near  Tirnovo,  Bulgaria    .... 

Tziganes  on  the  Isker  Road  .... 

Where  I  spent  a  Comfortless  Night  in  Bulgaria 
Bulgarian  Laundresses  ..... 

The  Rose-Fields  near  Kazanlik       .... 

Gathering  Roses  at  Kazanlik  .... 

Testing  Otto-of-Rose  at  Kazanlik  .... 

Bulgarian  Peasants  dancing  the  "  Horo  " 

Summit  of  the  Shipka   Pass    ..... 


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LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Defile  of  the  Isker    .......  228 

His  Majesty  King  Charles  of  Roumania  ....  234 

Snap-Shots  in  Bucharest  (two  views)          ....  236 

The  Royal  Palace,  Bucharest          .....  240 

Boulevard  Elisabeta,  Bucharest     .....  240 

His  Excellency  George  Cantacuzen,  Roumanian  Prime  Minister  244 

His  Excellency  Take  Jonesco,  Roumanian  Minister  of  Finance  244 

His  Excellency  Geo.  G.  Manu,  Roumanian  Minister  of  War  .  246 

Sir  Conyngham  Greene,  British  Minister  at  Bucharest             .  246 

Gen.  Jacques  Lahovary,  Roumanian  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  248 

Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  Roumania       ....  252 

The  Queen  of  Roumania's  Blind  Institute  at  Bucharest        .  256 

Blind  Inmates  at  Work          ......  260 

His  Excellency  Tewfik  Pasha,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  of 

the  Imperial  Ottoman  Empire    .....  264 

His  Excellency  Noury  Pasha            .....  274 

The  Entrance  to  the  Bosphorus         .....  280 

In  Constantinople           .......  280 

Lake  of  Ochrida,  Macedonia  .  .  .  .  .  .285 

Lake  of  Presba,  Macedonia     ......  285 

Macedonian  Woman  abducted  by  Turks  from  Klene,  near  Debr, 

and  rescued  by  a  Bulgarian  Band        ....  288 

General  Tzontcheff,  the  Bulgarian  Leader  in  Macedonia         .  288 

A  Bulgarian  Band  in  Macedonia       .....  292 

General  Tzontcheff  in  Macedonia  .....  304 

The  Turkish  Burial-Ground  at  Scutari,  Asia  Minor       .            .  304 


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MONTENEGRO 


CHAPTER    I 
THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY 

Why  I  went  to  the  Balkans — The  road  to  Montenegro — Cettinje  and  its 
petroleum  tins — About  the  blood-feud — England  and  Montenegro — 
Warned  not  to  attempt  to  go  to  Albania — My  guide  a  marked  man — The 
story  of  Tef — A  woman's  fickleness,  and  its  sequel. 

I  ENTERED  the  Balkans  by  the  back  door. 
The  luxuries  of  the  Orient  Express  had  no  attraction  for 
me.  I  wanted  to  see  the  Balkans  as  they  really  are,  those 
great,  wild,  mountainous  countries,  so  full  of  race  hatreds, 
of  political  bickerings,  of  fierce  blood-feuds,  of  feverish  propa- 
gandas— those  nations  with  their  interesting  monarchs  and 
their  many  mysteries. 

The  "  Orient  "  runs  direct  from  Paris  to  the  Balkan  capitals, 
it  is  true,  but  if  one  goes  to  study  a  people  the  capital  is 
not  the  only  place  in  which  to  discover  the  truth.  One  must 
go  into  the  country,  move  among  the  peasantry,  hear  their 
grievances  and  investigate  their  wrongs.  Therefore  I  decided 
to  enter  the  East  by  Montenegro,  and  also  visit  the  wild  and 
little-known  regions  of  Northern  Albania. 

The  comfortable  voyage  by  the  Austrian-Lloyd  mail  steamer 
Graf  Wurmhrand  from  Trieste  down  the  Adriatic,  touching 
at  Pola,  the  Austrian  naval  station,  Lussinpiccolo,  Zara — 
famed  for  its  maraschino — Sebenico,  Spalato,  and  Gravosa 
to  Cattaro,  has  been  already  described  by  many  writers.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  it  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  picturesque  of 
pleasure-trips  in  the  world,  for  every  moment  one  has  a  fresh 
panorama  of  mountain  and  blue  sea,  of  green,  fertile  islands 
with  subtropical  vegetation,  and  tiny  white  villages  nesthng 

19 


20  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

at  the  sea's  edge,  as  the  steamer  threads  her  way  through 
the  narrow  and  often  difficult  channels. 

At  times  the  wild  scenery,  especially  in  the  Bocche  di 
Cattaro,  reminds  the  traveller  of  the  Norwegian  fiords,  and 
at  others  the  coast  is  an  almost  exact  reproduction  of  the 
French  Riviera. 

The  object  of  my  journey  was,  however,  not  in  order  to 
write  a  mere  description  of  men  and  places.  There  have 
been  other  travellers  in  the  Balkans  who  have  related  their 
story,  therefore  my  mission  was  to  make  careful  inquiry  into 
the  present  unsettled  state  of  affairs,  try  and  discover  the 
grievances  of  both  sides,  and  endeavour  to  obtain  from  the 
rulers  and  statesmen  of  the  various  nations  their  aspirations 
for  the  future.  This  I  succeeded  in  doing,  for  the  various 
monarchs  of  the  Balkans  graciously  gave  me  audience ; 
and  from  their  Ministers,  from  the  middle  classes,  and  from 
the  peasants,  I  was  enabled  at  last  to  form  some  conclusion 
as  to  the  real  situation — political,  economical,  social,  and 
financial. 

The  writer  who  attempts  to  place  the  various  Balkan 
questions  impartially  and  clearly  before  the  public  will  at 
once  find  himself  utterly  confused,  and  wallowing  wildly 
in  a  morass  of  misstatement  and  misrepresentation.  The 
Balkans  are  torn  by  race  hatreds,  party  strife,  and  the  intrigues 
of  the  Powers.  The  Turk  hates  the  Bulgar,  the  Serb  hates 
the  Austrian,  the  Roumanian  hates  the  Greek,  the  Albanian 
hates  the  Montenegrin,  the  Bosnian  hates  the  Turk,  while 
the  Macedonian  hates  everybody  all  round.  What  is  told  to 
one  authoritatively  one  hour,  is  flatly  contradicted  the  next ; 
therefore  it  is  not  in  the  least  surprising  that  in  the  European 
Press  there  have  been  so  many  misstatements  about  the 
various  Balkan  questions,  the  real  truth  being  so  very  difficult 
to  obtain. 

I  have,  however,  endeavoured  to  obtain  it,  and  at  risk  of 
being  injudicious,  to  place  before  the  reader  the  facts  as  they 
are,  without  any  poHtical  bias,  or  any  seeking  to  gloss  over 
the  many  glaring  defects  of  administration  of  which  I  have 
myself  been  witness. 


31 


i       1     .{ 


Pero,  my   Montenegrin   Driver. 


Albanians  in   Cettinje. 


THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY  21 

To  describe  the  beauties  of  the  Bocche  di  Cattaro,  that 
scries  of  winding  channels  where  the  high  grey  mountains 
rise  sheer  from  the  water,  would  be  only  to  traverse  old  ground. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  I  landed  at  Cattaro  on  a  bright,  sunny 
noon,  and  found  upon  the  quay  a  tall,  lean  mountaineer  who 
had  been  sent  to  meet  me. 

To  the  traveller  fresh  from  the  West  the  Montenegrin 
costume  of  both  women  and  men  is  very  attractive,  but  a 
few  days  in  the  Balkans  soon  accustoms  the  eye  to  a  perfect 
phantasmagoria  of  colour  and  of  costume.  Pero  was  my 
driver's  name,  and  I  noticed  that  around  his  waist  was  a 
revolver  belt,  but  minus  the  weapon.  I  inquired  where  it 
was,  and  with  a  grin  he  informed  me  that  Cattaro,  being  in 
Dalmatia,  the  Austrians  would  not  allow  Montenegrins  to 
bring  arms  into  their  country  ;  so  they  were  compelled  to 
leave  them  on  the  other  side  of  the  frontier,  ten  kilometres 
distant. 

My  bags  packed  upon  the  three-horse  travelling  carriage 
and  secured  with  many  strings,  and  Pero  equipped  with  a 
plentiful  stock  of  cigarettes,  he  mounted  upon  the  box,  whipf)ed 
up  his  long-tailed  ponies,  and  we  started  on  our  eight-hour 
ascent  of  that  great  wall  of  moimtain  that  hides  Montenegro 
from  the  sea. 

As  we  ascended  through  the  little  village  of  Skaljari  we 
entered  upon  a  magnificent  road,  said  to  be  one  of  the  greatest 
engineering  feats  of  modem  times,  and  steadil}'  ascended, 
until  at  the  striped  black- an d-yellow  Austrian  boundary'  post 
we  crossed  the  frontier,  and  were  in  the  "  Land  of  the  Black 
Mountain " — Montenegro.  Across  the  road,  at  an  acute 
angle,  a  row  of  pa\'ing-stones  marks  the  frontier,  and  soon  after- 
wards we  found  ourselves  in  the  wildest  and  most  desolate 
mountain  region.  At  a  lonely  roadside  hut  Pero  obtained 
his  big,  sersiceable-looking  revolver,  and  I,  of  course,  wore 
mine  in  my  belt ;  for  in  Montene^o  or  Albania  arms  make  the 
man.  A  man  unarmed  is  looked  upon  as  an  effeminate 
coward.  Indeed,  by  order  of  Prince  Nicholas  eveiy^  Monte- 
negrin must  wear  the  national  dress,  both  men  and  women, 
and  every  man  must  carry  his  revolver  when  out  of  doors. 


22  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Four  hours  from  Cattaro  we  were  in  a  lonely  mountain 
fastness,  a  wild,  desolate,  treeless  region  of  huge  limestone 
rocks  of  peculiar  volcanic  formation,  which  gave  them  the 
appearance  of  a  boiling  sea.  The  views  over  the  Adriatic 
as  we  turned  back  were  so  superb  that,  despite  photographing 
being  strictly  forbidden  on  account  of  the  fortresses  in  the 
vicinity,  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  take  one  or 
two  surreptitiously.  On,  through  a  bleak,  uninhabited  country, 
we  at  last  reached  the  guard-house  of  Kerstac,  and  then  half 
an  hour  later  found  ourselves  upon  a  plateau  where,  in  the 
centre,  stood  the  small  clean  village  of  Nyegush,  the  ancestral 
home  of  the  reigning  family,  and  the  scene  of  most  of  the 
Montenegrin  wars  of  independence.  Here  we  halted  for 
half  an  hour  at  the  post-house,  and  before  we  left,  the  big, 
lumbering  post-diligence,  with  its  armed  guard,  came  up 
behind  us. 

Before  we  moved  off  again  it  had  grown  dark,  the  moon 
shone,  and  for  four  hours  longer  we  alternately  climbed  and 
descended  through  that  wild  region  of  silence  and  desolation, 
until  at  last  we  saw,  deep  below,  the  lights  of  Cettinje,  the 
little  capital,  and  an  hour  later  brought  us  to  the  unpre- 
tending "  Grand  "  Hotel. 

Hardly  had  I  entered  my  room  when  there  came  a  loud 
knock  at  my  door,  and  a  tall,  scarlet-coated  Montenegrin 
warrior,  armed  to  the  teeth,  entered  and  saluted.  For  a 
moment  I  looked  up  at  him  aghast,  but  the  mystery  was 
solved  when,  next  second,  he  handed  me  with  great  ceremony 
a  telegram  from  a  dear  friend  in  England  wishing  me  God- 
speed. I  had  taken  him  to  be,  at  least,  one  of  the  Prince's 
bodyguard,  and  he  was  only  a  plain  telegraph  messenger  ! 

This  was  but  one  of  many  surprises  in  store  for  me  in 
Montenegro.  Next  morning  I  went  out  to  look  round  the 
clean  little  capital,  when,  on  passing  the  Prince's  palace,  I 
saw  a  number  of  soldiers  drawn  up,  and  as  I  went  by,  the 
band  suddenly  struck  up  the  British  National  Anthem  ! 
I  raised  my  hat,  halted,  and  stood  puzzled.  Surely  they 
were  not  honouring  me  !  Another  moment,  however,  and  I 
recognised  the  reason.     In  a  carriage,  accompanied  by  the 


THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY  23 

Grand  Marechal  of  the  Court,  there  drove  up  my  friend 
Mr.  Charles  des  Graz,  the  newly-appointed  British  Charge 
d' Affaires  to  Montenegro,  who  was  about  to  present  his  creden- 
tials to  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince. 

Montenegro  is  perhaps  the  most  interesting  country  in 
all  the  Balkans.  Cettinje,  a  small,  clean  town  of  broad  streets 
and  one-storeyed,  whitewashed  houses,  is  a  little  city  in  the 
sky,  lying  as  it  does  in  a  cup-shaped  depression  at  the  summit 
of  a  high,  bare  mountain.  Its  long,  straight,  main  street 
reminds  one  very  much  of  a  small  country  town  in  England, 
if  it  were  not  that  everyone  is,  by  law,  compelled  to  wear  the 
national  dress,  and  every  man  has  in  his  belt  his  big,  long- 
barrelled  revolver,  without  which  he  must  never  go  out  of 
doors. 

The  men,  sturdy  mountaineers,  are  of  fine  physique — 
handsome  fellows,  all  of  them.  Their  dress  consists  of  dark 
blue  baggy  trousers,  white  woollen  gaiters,  raw-hide  shoes, 
a  scarlet  jacket  heavily  braided  with  gold,  and  a  small  round 
cap,  with  black  silk  around  the  edge  and  the  crown  of  the 
same  colour  as  the  jacket,  bearing  the  Prince's  initials  in 
Servian  letters,  "  H.I."  The  women,  who  are  particularly 
good-looking,  wear  dark  skirts,  beautifully  hand-embroidered 
blouses,  and  a  kind  of  long  coat,  with  open  sleeves  of  soft, 
dove-grey  cloth.  Forbidden  to  wear  European  hats,  they  are 
compelled  to  adopt  an  exactly  similar  cap  to  the  men,  except 
that  the  crown  is  embroidered  instead  of  bearing  the  royal 
initials. 

Nowhere  have  I  seen  such  glorification  of  the  male  as  in 
Montenegro.  To  the  men,  born  fighters  as  they  are,  work  is 
undignified ;  therefore  the  women  toil  while  the  opposite 
sex  look  on.  I  saw  women  employed  in  building  operations 
and  performing  work  which,  in  other  countries,  is  left  to  day- 
labourers. 

Cettinje  is  quaint  in  the  extreme.  The  only  houses  of 
foreigners  are  the  various  Legations,  and  the  only  foreigners 
are  diplomats  with  their  wives  and  families.  The  first  thing 
that  strikes  the  stranger  is  the  number  of  petroleum  tins. 
Opposite  the  hotel  I  saw  a  great  ring  of  empty  tins,  numbering 


24  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

some  huiulrods,  ranged  around  a  fountain.  A  few  women 
were  squatting  gossiping,  and  an  armed  policeman  lounged 
against  the  water-source.  On  inquiry,  I  found  that  there 
was  a  water  famine,  and  the  tins  had  been  placed  there  at 
dawn  to  await  the  moment  when  the  authorities  thought  fit 
to  allow  the  people  to  get  their  daily  supply.  The  women 
had  gone  away  to  work,  and  would  return  later.  The  Monte- 
negrins a  short  time  ago  constructed  a  reservoir,  but  there 
was  a  crack  in  it,  so  the  water  ran  away.     Hence  the  famine. 

The  petroleum  tin  is  never  out  of  sight  for  a  single  moment 
in  Ccttinjo.  At  any  hour,  and  in  any  street,  you  see  women 
and  children  carrying  them.  They  are  used  for  everything, 
from  milk-pails  to  flower-pots. 

In  Cettinje  one  comes  for  the  first  time  up  against  the 
dark-faced,  scowling  Albanian  in  his  tightly  fitting  trousers 
of  white  wool  striped  with  black,  his  dirty  white  fez,  and  the 
swagger  of  superiority  in  his  gait.  He  is  well  armed,  and  for 
a  good  reason.  The  Montenegrin  hates  the  Albanian,  because 
of  the  constant  border  feuds  over  at  Podgoritza,  where  blood 
is  constantly  spilt,  and  where  I  have  seen  a  Montenegrin  in 
the  market  squatting  over  a  basket  of  apples  with  a  loaded 
rifle. 

That  morning  I  was  chatting  to  a  man  in  Montenegrin 
dress,  of  whom  I  had  bought  some  excellent  cigarettes,  manu- 
factured by  the  Montenegro  Tobacco  Monopoly — an  Italian 
syndicate,  by  the  way — and  happened  to  mention  that  I  was 
on  my  way  to  Albania. 

"  Ah,  gospodin  !  "  he  exclaimed,  holding  up  both  his  hands, 
and  glancing  at  the  revolver  in  my  belt.  "  Take  my  advice. 
Don't  go  into  Albania  or  Macedonia.  You  are  not  safe  there 
from  one  moment  to  the  other.  For  half  a  word  they'll 
shoot  you  dead  as  easily  as  they  drink  a  glass  of  wine.  No 
man's  life  is  worth  a  moment's  purchase  there.  I'm  Albanian 
myself — from  Kroja — and  I  know." 

This  was  scarcely  reassuring.  I  looked  about  me  on 
every  hand  as  I  strolled  through  Cettinje.  All  was  so  quiet, 
so  orderly,  so  very  peaceful  there,  even  though  the  big,  burly 
mountaineers  in  the  gold-laced  jackets  eyed  me  with  askance 


The   Royal   Palace  :   Cettinje. 


Principal   Street  of  Cettinje. 


THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY  25 

as  I  passed.  Not  without  some  trepidation  I  took  a  number 
of  photographs,  for  I  had  heard  that,  hke  the  Turk,  the  Monte- 
negrin was  averse  to  having  his  counterfeit  presentment  put 
upon  paper.  Nevertheless,  the  first  feehng  of  insecurity 
having  passed,  I  very  soon  found  myself  quite  at  home  in 
Cettinje,  and  in  the  midst  of  very  good  and  kind  friends. 

A  good  many  foreigners  come  up  from  Cattaro  to  pry 
about  Cettinje  for  a  day  or  two,  buy  picture-postcards  and 
antique  arms,  sneer  at  the  honest  Montenegrin,  and  return 
into  Dalmatia.  Towards  such,  the  Montenegrin  is  not  par- 
ticularly polite.  But  those  who  go  to  Cettinje  to  seriously 
and  thoroughly  study  the  people  and  their  future  will  find 
a  great  deal  of  genuine  and  charming  hospitality. 

My  first  day  in  Cettinje  was  lonely.  Afterwards,  until 
I  left,  I  was  always  with  friends  and  officials,  who  took 
the  greatest  trouble  to  answer  my  questions  and  explain 
matters. 

Montenegro  is  entirely  unlike  any  other  country  in  the 
world.  Its  air  of  antiquity  is  particularly  pleasing,  while 
on  every  hand  the  beneficent  rule  of  Prince  Nicholas  is 
apparent.  Every  man  in  Montenegro  swears  by  his  Prince, 
whom  he  almost  worships.  They  call  him  their  "  father," 
and  if  His  Royal  Highness  raised  the  standard  of  war  to- 
morrow, every  man  would  rise  and  fight  to  the  death.  The 
Prince  is  accessible  to  all  his  people — more  so  to  them,  indeed, 
than  to  the  diplomats.  Sometimes,  early  in  the  morning,  he 
will  sit  in  an  arm-chair  on  the  steps  leading  to  the  entrance 
of  his  palace,  and  there  hear  the  complaints  or  petitions  of 
his  people.  In  this  patriarchal  way  he  often  ministers  justice. 
Last  year  he  granted  Montenegro  a  Constitution,  and  there 
is  now  a  Skupshtina  similar  to  that  of  Servia ;  but  the  people 
have  not  yet  quite  understood  that  in  future  they  must  go 
to  the  Ministers,  and  not  to  their  Prince.  They  will  see  him, 
and  nobody  else. 

In  no  country  is  loyalty  and  patriotism  so  strong  as  in 
Montenegro.  The  army  is  well  trained,  and  the  whole  country 
being  one  huge  natural  fortress,  a  foreign  enemy  would  ex- 
perience enormous  difficulty  in  gaining  entrance.     In  Cettinje, 


26  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

even  a  constant  traveller  like  myself  meets  with  continual 
surprises.  One  day,  while  walking  at  the  rear  of  the  Bigliardo, 
or  old  palace — so  called  because  when  built  the  first  billiard 
table  was  introduced — I  heard  the  sound  of  clanking  chains 
behind  me.  At  first  I  took  no  notice,  but  as  it  continued 
with  regular  rh3'thm  I  glanced  behind,  when,  to  my  amaze- 
ment, I  saw  a  convict  in  leg-fetters  with  difficulty  taking  his 
afternoon  stroll  beneath  the  trees !  There  were  several 
others  on  the  grass  plot  before  the  prison,  idling  in  the  shadow 
or  gossiping  with  their  friends,  who  had  come  to  keep  them 
company  ! 

Inquiries  showed  that  most  of  these  prisoners  were  murderers, 
not  for  robbery  but  for  vendetta.  In  Montenegro  the  blood- 
feud  is  constant,  and  life  is  held  very  cheap.  It  invariably 
commences  by  jealousy,  and  is  of  everyday  occurrence. 
Two  lovers  quarrel,  and  one  is  shot.  Then  the  blood-feud 
commences,  and  unlike  in  Italy  or  other  Southern  countries, 
the  vendetta  is  not  only  upon  the  murderer,  but  upon  his 
next-of-kin.  Therefore,  if  the  assassin  escapes  into  Servia, 
Bosnia,  or  Turkey,  as  he  so  often  does,  the  brother  of  the 
dead  man  takes  up  the  feud  and  kiUs  the  assassin's  brother 
without  parley  when  next  he  meets  him.  I  myself  saw  a 
man  shot  dead  one  night  in  Ryeka,  at  the  head  of  the  Lake 
of  Scutari,  and  the  murderer  walked  coolly  away  undeterred. 
It  was  the  blood-feud,  and  no  one  took  much  notice. 

"  S'hogom  !  "  (God  be  with  you!)  It  is  the  expression 
you  hear  on  every  hand  in  the  Balkans.  In  the  streets  the 
peasants  touch  their  round  caps  in  salute  and  exclaim, 
"  S'bogom  !  "  When  you  leave  for  a  journey  and  when  you 
return,  when  you  rise  and  when  you  go  to  rest ;  even  if  you 
go  for  a  short  walk — it  is  the  same.  Life  is  so  uncertain  in 
those  wild  regions  that  the  protection  of  the  Almighty  is 
invoked  upon  you  always,  and  your  revolver  is  ever  ready 
in  your  belt. 

In  Cettinje  I  had  a  faithful  guide  and  servant,  a  black- 
eyed,  somewhat  sinister-looking  Albanian,  named  Palok,  He 
travelled  with  me  through  Montenegro  and  Albania,  and  was 
most  faithful  and  devoted.     Besides  Albanian  and  Serb  he 


THE  CITY  IN  THE  SKY  27 

spoke  a  little  Italian,  and  possessed  a  keen  sense  of 
humour. 

One  day,  while  we  were  travelling  through  the  wild,  bare 
mountain,  a  perfect  wilderness  of  huge  boulders  without  a 
single  tree  or  even  blade  of  grass,  we  halted  for  our  midday 
meal,  and  while  eating  he  told  me  of  a  great  friend  of  his 
who  had  recently  been  killed  at  Spuz  for  vendetta,  and  he 
added,  fondling  the  butt  of  his  revolver,  "  I  too,  gospodin, 
shall  die  before  long." 

I  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  His  usually  humorous  face 
had  changed.  It  was  dark  and  thoughtful,  and  his  black 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  me. 

"  Is  there  a  blood-feud  upon  you,  then  ?  "  I  asked,  in 
surprise. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied  briefly ;  and  though  I  endeavoured  to 
persuade  him  to  tell  the  story,  it  was  not  until  the  following 
day  that  with  some  reluctance  he  explained. 

"  A  year  ago  my  brother  Tef,  away  in  Scutari,  fell  in 
love  with  a  beautiful  girl.  He  had  a  rival — a  young  Albanian, 
a  coppersmith  in  the  bazaar.  They  quarrelled,  but  the 
girl — ah  !  she  was  very  beautiful — preferred  Tef.  Where- 
upon the  rival  one  night  took  his  rifle  and  laid  in  wait  for 
my  brother  in  the  main  street  of  Scutari.  Early  in  the  evening 
he  left  the  house  of  the  girl's  father,  and  as  he  passed  the 
fellow  shot  poor  Tef  dead." 

And  he  paused  as  his  brow  knit  deeply,  and  his  teeth 
were  set  tightly. 

"  Well  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  gospodin.  What  would  you  have  done  had  your 
own  brother  died  a  dog's  death  ?  I  took  a  rifle,  and  within 
a  week  the  murderer  was  in  his  grave.  I  shot  him  through 
the  heart — and  then  I  left  Scutari." 

"  And  you  are  safe  here,  in  Montenegro  ?  " 

"  Safe  !  Oh  dear,  no,"  he  answered.  "  One  day — it  may 
be  to-day — the  fellow's  brother  will  kill  me.  He  must  kill 
me.  It  is  Fate — why  worry  about  it  ?  It  does  one  no 
good." 

And  the  marked  man,  the  man  doomed  to  die  at  a  moment 


28  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

when  ho  least  expects  it,  rolled  a  cigarette  and  lit  it  with  perfect 
resignment. 

"  And  are  you  not  afraid  to  go  with  me  back  to  Scutari  ?  " 
I  asked,  amazed  at  his  fearlessness. 

"  Afraid,  gospodin !  "  he  exclaimed,  looking  at  me  in 
reproach  as  his  hand  instinctively  wandered  to  his  weapon. 
"  Afraid  !  No  Albanian  is  afraid  of  the  blood-feud.  I  have 
killed  the  murderer,  and  his  brother  must  kill  me.  It  is  our 
law."     And  the  doomed  man  smiled  gravely. 

"  And  the  girl  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Ah  !  They  are  all  the  same,"  he  answered,  with  a  quick 
shrug  of  the  shoulders.  "  A  month  ago  she  married  a  tobacco- 
seller — a  man  old  enough  to  be  her  father.  Poor  Tef  !  If 
he  could  but  know  !  " 

"  And  the  blood-feud  still  continues  ?  " 

"  Of  course — until  I  am  dead." 

Then  Palok  smoked  on  in  silence,  entirely  resigned  to  the 
fate  that  awaits  him.  He  knows  that  one  day,  as  he  walks 
along  the  road,  the  sharp  crack  of  a  hidden  rifle  will  sound, 
and  he  will  fall  to  earth,  another  victim  of  a  woman's  fickleness. 

S'hogoni  ! — God  be  with  you  I 


His    Royal    Highness    Prince    Nicholas    of    Montenegro. 


CHAPTER    II 
AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS 

The  Palace  at  Cettinje — A  cigarette  with  the  Prince — The  poUcy  of  Monte- 
negro— A  confidential  chat — His  Royal  Highness's  admiration  for 
England — His  views  upon  Macedonia — He  urges  me  not  to  attempt  to 
go  to  Albania,  but  I  persuade  him  to  help  me — His  Highness's  kindness 
— Souvenirs. 

"  T  T  IS  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  will  be  pleased  to 
L  L  grant  you  private  audience  at  four  o'clock  this  after- 
noon, gospodin." 

The  tall,  burly  aide-de-camp  in  the  little  round  cap,  high 
boots,  pale  blue  overcoat,  and  pistols  in  his  belt,  saluted,  and 
we  shook  hands. 

It  was  then  three  o'clock,  and  I  was  just  about  to  go  out 
to  visit  Madame  Constantinovitch,  the  mother  of  Princess 
Mirko.  So  I  had  to  return  at  once  to  my  room  and  dress  for 
the  audience.  The  kings  and  princes  of  the  Balkans  have  a 
habit  of  summoning  one  at  a  moment's  notice,  and  paying 
visits  at  unearthly  hours. 

Here,  in  Cettinje,  in  the  heart  of  these  wild,  desolate  fast- 
nesses, one  seems  so  far  removed  from  European  influence, 
yet  how  great  a  part  has  this  rocky,  impregnable  country, 
with  its  fierce  soldier-inhabitants,  played  in  the  politics  of 
Eastern  Europe,  and  how  great  a  part  it  is  still  destined  to 
play  in  the  near  future  ! 

The  fact  that  everybody  is  armed  gives  the  stranger  an 
uncanny  feeling.  The  man  who  brings  one's  coffee  wears 
a  perfect  arsenal  of  weapons  in  his  sash,  and  one  quickly 
acquires  the  habit  of  carrying  a  revolver  one's  self.     Indeed, 

89 


30  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

if  you  arc  wise,  you  will  carry  a  good  serviceable  weapon 
from  the  moment  you  enter  the  Balkans  to  the  moment  you 
quit  them.  But  if  you  approach  the  Albanian  frontier,  you 
will  be  at  once  warned  not  to  fire  without  just  cause.  A 
few  shots  is  sutheient  to  alarm  the  whole  neighbourhood  for 
many  miles,  and  on  hearing  the  alarm  every  man  seizes  his 
rifle  and  flies  to  the  rendezvous,  fully  equipped  and  eager 
for  the  fight  with  those  Albanian  border  tribes,  of  whom  I 
afterwards  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  the  guest. 

I  had  already  had  a  long  chat  with  Prince  Danilo,  the 
Crown  Prince  of  Montenegro,  whom  I  found  a  very  smart 
and  highly  educated  man,  fully  alive  to  the  political  difficulties 
of  the  neighbouring  states  and  the  necessity  of  Montenegro 
preserving  her  independence.  He  held  very  strong  views 
upon  the  terrible  state  of  affairs  in  Macedonia,  and  gave  me 
many  interesting  details  about  his  own  country. 

Having  met  him,  and  also  his  younger  brother,  Prince 
Mirko,  I  was  particularly  anxious  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  their  father,  Prince  Nicholas,  the  ruler  of  the  sturdy,  warlike 
dwellers  of  the  "  Land  of  the  Black  Mountain  " — the  principal 
and  most  striking  figure  in  this  remarkable  country,  where 
peace  and  war  walk  ever  hand-in-hand. 

Since  i860,  when  his  uncle.  Prince  Danilo,  was  assassinated, 
he  has  ruled  justly,  if  somewhat  sternly,  and  has  succeeded  in 
raising  his  nation  from  a  state  of  semi-civilisation  to  the  high 
place  it  now  occupies  in  the  Eastern  world.  In  1888  he  gave 
the  country  a  Civil  and  Criminal  Code,  and  last  year  he  granted 
a  Constitution.  Indeed,  he  has  done  all  in  his  power  to 
induce  his  warriors  to  follow  the  arts  of  peace  without 
forgetting  those  of  war. 

At  the  hour  appointed,  the  royal  aide-de-camp  called  in 
a  carriage  and  drove  me  to  the  Palace, — a  long,  dark  brown 
building  of  somewhat  plain  exterior,  as  befits  the  home  of  a 
fighting  race, — where  I  was  received  in  the  great  hall  by 
half  a  dozen  bowing  servants  in  scarlet  and  gold.  Here  I 
was  met  by  the  chamberlain,  who  conducted  me  up  the  grand 
staircase  and  into  the  great  audience-chamber,  with  its  many 
fine  paintings  and  highly  polished  floor.     Then,  after  a  moment. 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS  31 

the  Prince — a  brilliant  figure — entered,  shook  me  by  the 
hand,  and  welcomed  me  to  Montenegro. 

These  formalities  ended.  His  Royal  Highness  said  in  Italian, 
"  Come,  let  us  go  into  yonder  room.  We  shall  be  able  to  talk 
there  more  comfortably."  And  he  led  me  into  a  smaller 
chamber,  where  he  gave  me  a  seat  at  the  table  where  he  sat. 

The  afternoon  was  gloomy,  and  dusk  was  creeping  on, 
therefore  upon  the  table  a  great  antique  silver  candelabra  had 
been  set,  and  by  its  light  I  was  enabled  to  obtain  a  good 
view  of  the  ruler  of  Crnagora,  the  "  Land  of  the  Black 
Mountain." 

Of  magnificent  physique,  tall,  muscular,  with  hair  slightly 
grey,  he  bore  his  sixty-five  years  lightly.  Attired  in  the 
splendid  national  costume  of  scarlet,  blue,  and  gold,  with 
high  boots,  he  wore  a  single  decoration  at  his  throat,  the 
Cross  of  Danilo,  of  which  Order  he  is  Master.  Upon  his  hand- 
some, well-cut  features  the  candles  shed  a  soft  light,  causing 
the  gold  upon  his  dress  to  glitter,  and  I  noticed,  as  I  asked 
him  questions,  how  his  dark,  keen  eyes  shot  quick,  inquiring 
glances  of  alertness. 

After  the  first  few  minutes  of  regal  formality  His  Highness's 
manner  entirely  changed.  Putting  ceremony  aside,  he  pro- 
duced his  cigarette  case — of  crocodile  skin,  with  the  royal 
crown  and  cipher  in  gold  in  the  corner — offered  me  a 
Montenegrin  cigarette,  took  one  himself,  lit  mine  with  his  own 
hand,  and  then  we  fell  to  chatting. 

In  the  delightful  hour  and  a  half  we  smoked  together  I 
asked  the  prince-poet  many  questions,  and  learnt  many 
things.  He  explained  several  difficult  points  in  Balkan 
politics,  which  to  me,  an  Englishman,  had  always  been 
puzzling.  We  spoke — in  Italian — of  Macedonia  and  of  a 
certain  well-known  foreign  diplomat  in  London  who  was  our 
mutual  friend,  the  Prince  giving  me  a  very  kind  message  to 
deliver  to  him. 

Presently  I  referred  to  the  splendid  result  of  his  rule, 
and  related  to  him  a  little  incident  which  had  occurred  to  me 
in  Nyegush  a  few  days  before,  as  showing  how  deeply  he  was 
beloved  by  his  nation.     A  smile  crossed  his  fine  open  counten^ 


32  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

ance  as  he  replied  simply,  "  I  have  done  my  best  for  my 
people — my  very  best ;  and  I  shall  do  so  as  long  as  God  gives 
me  life.  I  am  happy  to  believe  that  my  people  appreciate 
my  efforts." 

"  And  now,  Monseigneur,"  I  asked,  "  will  you  tell  me  what 
is  the  present  position  of  Montenegro  ?  " 

"  The  present  position  is  peace,"  was  his  prompt  answer. 
"  I  have  granted  a  Constitution,  and  the  first  meeting  of  the 
new  Skupshtina  has  been  held  successfully.  Though  the 
Albanian  question  is  always  with  us,  I  am  thankful  to  say 
we  are  on  the  most  excellent  terms  with  Turkey,  while  towards 
Russia  we  are  pursuing  our  traditional  policy.  For  the 
Emperor  Francis  Josef  of  Austria  I  have  nothing  but  the 
most  profound  admiration,  and  I  owe  very  much  to  him." 

"  And  towards  England,  Monseigneur  ?  " 

"  England  has  been,  as  you  know,  Montenegro's  very  best 
friend,"  replied  the  Prince.  "I,  personally,  have  the  greatest 
respect  and  admiration  for  your  great  country.  We  Monte- 
negrins always  remember  that  it  was  Mr.  Gladstone  who 
gave  us  the  strip  of  seaboard  on  the  Adriatic  with  Dulcigno. 
He  was  our  greatest  friend,  and  his  memory  is  respected  by 
every  man  in  Montenegro.  Of  Tennyson,  too,  I  am  a  great 
admirer.     I  am  very  fond  of  his  poems." 

"  You  are  a  poet  yourself,  Monseigneur,"  I  remarked, 
remembering  that  more  than  one  poetical  drama  from  his 
pen  had  been  successfully  produced  on  the  stage. 

His  Royal  Highness  smiled,  and  puffed  slowly  at  his 
cigarette. 

"  I  have  written  one  or  two  little  things,  it  is  true ;  but 
nothing  of  late." 

"  I  wonder  if  I  dare  ask  your  Royal  Highness  to  write  a 
few  lines  for  me  as  a  souvenir  of  my  visit  ?  "  I  asked,  not 
without  some  trepidation. 

"  Ah  ! — well — I  won't  promise,"  he  laughed.  "  All  de- 
pends whether  I'm  in  the  mood  for  it." 

"  But  you  will  try,  won't  you  ?  " 

And  the  Prince  nodded  assent. 

Then  we  spoke  of  Servia  and  of  recent  events  there ;  but 


^n^t 


The   Petroleum  tins  of  Cettinje. 


The   Monastery  :   Cettinje. 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS  33 

he  was  not  inclined  to  discuss  the  question,  and  naturally  so, 
when  it  is  remembered  that  his  daughter  was  the  late  wife 
of  King  Peter. 

Returning  to  the  burning  question  of  Macedonia,  I  saw 
that  he  was  well  informed  of  all  that  was  transpiring  around 
lakes  Presba  and  Ochrida  and  down  in  Serres. 

"  It  is  a  monstrous  state  of  affairs,"  he  declared.  "  Some- 
thing must  be  done  at  once,  for  as  soon  as  spring  comes  again 
the  massacres  will  increase." 

"  But  there  are  outrages,  tortures,  and  massacres  every 
day,"  I  remarked. 

"  Ah  yes,"  he  sighed,  "  I  know.  Most  terrible  details 
have  reached  me  lately.  But  you  are  going  to  Macedonia 
yourself,  and  you  will  see  with  your  own  eyes." 

"  And  what,  in  your  opinion,  would  be  the  best  settlement 
of  the  question  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  There  is  but  one  way,  namely,  for  the  Powers  to  caU  a 
conference  and  place  Macedonia  under  a  governor  -  general, 
who  must  be  a  European  prince.  The  reforms  would  then 
be  carried  out,  and  the  Greek  bands  expelled  from  the  country. 
How  long  wiU  Europe  tolerate  the  present  frightful  state  of 
affairs  ?  " 

"  The  fact  is,  Monseigneur,  that  we,  in  England,  are  very 
ignorant  of  the  true  state  of  things,  or  even  of  the  facts  of 
the  Macedonian  question,"  I  said. 

"  Ah,  there  you  are  quite  correct.  If  your  English  public 
knew  what  was  reaUy  happening — how  an  innocent  Christian 
population  is  being  slaughtered  and  exterminated  because 
of  international  rivalry — they  would  cry  shame  upon  those 
responsible  for  this  wholesale  murder  and  outrage.  But " 
— he  smiled — "  I  almost  forget  myself.  My  position  as  a  ruler 
forbids  me  to  talk  politics,  you  know  !  " 

And  we  laughed  together. 

"  So  you  are  going  to  Servia,  Bulgaria,  Roumania,  and  to 
Constantinople — eh  ?  "  he  remarked  a  little  later,  when  we 
had  lit  fresh  cigarettes.  "  In  Bulgaria,  and  also  in  Roumania, 
you  will  see  many  things  that  will  interest  you.  The  Bul- 
garians are  very  strongly  armed,  and  so  are  the  Roumanians." 
3 


34  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  Roiimania  has  also  promised 
me  audience,"  I  said, 

"  When  you  see  her,  will  you  please  present  to  Her  Majesty 
my  most  cordial  respects.     She  is  so  very  charming." 

"  I  want,  Monseigneur,  to  visit  Northern  Albania,  leaving 
Montenegro  by  Ryeka  and  Scutari.  Would  that  be  the  best 
route,  do  you  think  ?  " 

"  What !  "  he  exclaimed,  in  surprise.  "  Do  you  actually 
contemplate  visiting  the  tribes  up  in  the  Accursed  Mountains  ?  " 

"  Certainly.     Why  not  ?  " 

"  Well,  my  advice  is,  don't  think  of  going  there.  If  you 
do,  you  will  never  return.  You'll  be  shot  at  sight,  like  a 
dog.  You  have  no  idea  what  those  uncivilised  tribes  are 
like.     The  whole  country  is  utterly  lawless." 

"  So  I  understand.  But  I've  also  heard  that  the  Albanian 
possesses  a  deep  sense  of  honour.  And  I  thought  that  I  might 
possibly  obtain  permission  from  one  or  other  of  the  chiefs." 

The  Prince  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Then,  looking  at 
me  across  the  table,  said — 

"  Do  not  go.     It  is  far  too  great  a  risk." 

His  advice  was  the  same  that  my  friends  in  London  had 
given  me ;  the  same  that  I  had  received  there,  in  the  market- 
place of  Cettinje. 

But  I  was  determined,  and  pressed  His  Royal  Highness 
to  assist  me,  at  last  receiving  his  promise  of  help.  By  his 
kind  permission,  the  Albanian  named  Palok  acted  as  my  guide, 
and  what  eventually  happened  to  me  in  that  wild  region  wiU 
be  seen  in  the  following  pages. 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  the  Prince  at  last,  "  if  you  go  up  there, 
it  must  be  at  your  own  risk.  I've  warned  you  of  the  danger. 
No  one  has  been  up  there  for  many  years.  It  has  been  at- 
tempted, of  course,  but  travellers  have  either  been  held  to 
ransom,  and  the  Turks  have  been  compelled  to  pay  for  their 
release,  or  else  they  have  simply  been  shot  by  the  first  Albanian 
meeting  them.  The  country  beyond  Scutari  is  the  most 
unsafe  in  the  whole  Balkan  Peninsula." 

I  replied  that  I  intended  to  make  the  attempt. 

"  Well,  then,  I  wish  you  buon  viaggio,"  he  laughed.     "  May 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS  35 

every  good  luck  attend  you,  and — as  we  say  in  Montenegro 
— S'bogom!  (God  be  with  you!)  When  you  return — for  I 
suppose  you  will  pass  this  way  down  to  the  sea — come  and 
see  me,  and  tell  me  all  about  the  Skreli  and  Kastrati  country 
— for  of  course  I  am  highly  interested.  They  are  always  at 
war  with  our  people  on  the  frontier." 

"  I  will  let  your  Royal  Highness  know  the  moment  I 
am  back  in  Cettinje,"  I  promised. 

Then  rising,  he  gripped  my  hand  warmly,  saying — 

"  Then  I  will  help  you  if  I  can.  Be  careful  of  yourself,  for 
I  shall  be  anxious  about  you.     Again,  S'bogom  !  " 

And  the  Prince  accompanied  me  to  the  head  of  the  grand 
staircase,  where  I  made  my  obeisance,  turned  and  descended 
through  the  rows  of  armed  and  bowing  servants  ranged  in  the 
hall,  charmed  by  His  Royal  Highness 's  graciousness  towards 
me  and  by  the  pleasant  chat  I  had  enjoyed. 

When,  after  my  journey  through  Northern  Albania,  I  one 
afternoon  re-entered  that  audience-chamber,  and  he  came 
forward  with  outstretched  hand  to  greet  me,  he  exclaimed — 

"  Well,  weU  !  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  back  safe  and  sound. 
You  look  a  little  thinner  in  the  face — a  little  travel-worn — 
eh  ?  Life  in  the  Albanian  mountains  is  not  like  your  life  in 
London  or  Paris,  is  it  ?  But  never  mind  as  long  as  you  are 
safe,"  he  laughed,  placing  his  hand  kindly  upon  my  shoulder. 
"  Come  along  to  this  room.  It  is  more  cosy,"  and  he  led 
me  to  the  smaller  apartment,  his  own  private  cabinet. 

For  nearly  two  hours  I  sat  relating  to  him  what  occurred 
on  my  journey,  and  describing  the  wild  country  which  had, 
until  then,  been  practically  a  sealed  book.  Even  though 
Cettinje  is  so  near,  hardly  anything  was  known  of  the  Skreli, 
the  Hoti,  the  Klementi,  or  the  Kastrati  tribes,  save  that  they 
were  brigandish  bands  who  constantly  raided  the  Montenegrin 
frontier. 

The  Prince  listened  to  me  with  great  attention,  and  put 
many  questions  to  me  as  we  smoked  together. 

Then  rising,  he  took  from  a  drawer  in  his  great  writing- 
table  a  small  scarlet  box,  and  as  he  opened  it  he  bestowed 
upon  me  a  compliment  undeserved,  for  he  said — 


36  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  There  are  few  men  who  would  have  risked  what  you 
have  done.  Therefore  I  wish  to  invest  you  with  our  Order  of 
Danilo,  as  a  mark  of  my  appreciation  and  esteem." 

And  he  displayed  to  me  the  beautiful  dark  blue  and  white 
enamelled  cross  of  the  Order,  the  same  that  he  was  wearing 
at  his  throat,  surmounted  by  the  royal  crown  and  suspended 
upon  the  white  ribbon  edged  with  cerise. 

After  he  had  invested  me  with  the  Order,  saying  many 
kind  things  to  me,  which  I  really  don't  think  I  deserved,  he 
added  — 

"  The  chef  du  chancellerie  will  send  you  the  diploma  in 
due  course,  and  I  trust,  when  you  petition  your  own  gracious 
Sovereign  King  Edward,  that  His  Majesty  will  allow  you  to 
wear  this  insignia." 

I  thanked  His  Royal  Highness,  gripped  his  hand,  and  a 
few  minutes  later  passed  through  the  line  of  bowing  servants 
out  of  the  Palace. 

And  that  same  evening  I  received  from  His  Royal  Highness 
the  signed  photograph  which  appears  in  these  pages. 

Before  I  left  Cettinje  I  received  the  following  expressive 
lines,  written  especially  for  me  by  a  Montenegrin  poet  who  is 
a  great  personage,  but  whose  name  he  would  not  permit  me 
to  give.  They  are  in  Servian  as  follows,  and  I  have  placed 
their  English  translation  below  : — 

S'  veledusnog  Albiona 
Pru2iie  se  dvije  ruke 
Crnoj   Gori  da  pomogu 
U  junaCke  njene  muke 

S'  vrucom  rjecu  na  ustima 
Gladston  dize  Crnogorce 
A  Tenison  za  najprve 
U  svijet  ih  broi  borce 

Na  glas  svoih  Velikana 
Britanski  se  narod  tr2e 
Da  pomo2e  da  zastiti 
Crnu  Goru  iz  najbr2e 

Posla  svoje  bojne  ladje 
Sto  na  teCnost  gospostvuju 
VeleduSno  da  zastite 
Domovinu  milu  Moju 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  PRINCE  NICHOLAS  37 

O  fala  ti  po  sto  puta 
Blagorodni  lyudi  Soju 
Dok  je  svjeta  dok  je  greda 
Nad  Ulcinjem  koje  stoju 

Hranice  ti  blagodarnost 
Ova  saka  sokolova 
Koima  si  u  pomoci 
Stiga  putem  od  valova. 

The  literal  translation  in  English  is  as  follows  :— 

From  the  great-souled  Albion, 
Two  arms  were  stretched 
To  help  Montenegro 
In  her  heroic  sufferings. 

Witn  fiery  word  on  his  lips 
Gladstone  lifts  up  Montenegrins, 
Whilst  Tennyson  declared  them 
The  very  first  fighters  in  the  world. 

On  the  call  of  their  great  men, 
British  people  rose  up 
In  quickest  manner,  to  help 
And  to  protect  Montenegro. 

They  despatched  their  war-ships. 
Which  rule  over  the  seas. 
Generously  to  protect 
My  Fatherland  so  dear  to  me. 

Oh  !  thanks  to  thee,  hundredfold  thanks. 

Noble  race  of  men. 

As  long  as  the  world  lasts. 

As  long  as  the  mountains  above  Dulcigno  stand. 

Will  remain  grateful  to  thee, 
This  handful  of  falcons, 
To  whose  help  thou  didst  come 
By  the  road  of  the  waves. 


NORTHERN    ALBANIA 


S9 


CHAPTER    I 

INTO  A  SAVAGE  REGION 

Wildest  Albania — Warnings  not  to  attempt  to  travel  there — I  decide  to  go, 
and  take  Palok — Prince  Nicholas  of  Montenegro  bids  us  farewell — On 
the  Lake  of  Scutari — Arrival  at  Skodra — Passports,  rabble,  and  back- 
sheesh— Photographing  the  fortress  in  secret — Treading  dangerous 
ground — Albania  the  Unknown. 

BEFORE  leaving  London  various  insurance  companies  had 
flatly  declined  to  accept  the  risk  of  "  accident,"  because 
it  was  known  that  I  intended  visiting  Albania. 

Indeed,  no  company  in  the  City  would  insure  me,  and  at 
Lloyd's  the  premium  quoted  was  exorbitant.  This  was  the 
reverse  of  reassuring.  Northern  Albania  I  knew  to  be  the 
wildest  and  most  savage  country  in  the  East,  and  the  Accursed 
Mountains,  which  I  wanted  to  visit,  were  held  by  brigandish 
tribes,  who  shot  the  traveller  at  sight  or  held  him  to  ransom. 
So  little  is  known  about  them  that  they  had  always  held  a 
peculiar  fascination  for  me. 

I  searched  through  the  journals  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society  for  many  years  past,  but  found  little  mention  of 
Northern  Albania,  while  of  books  of  actual  travel  in  that 
region  there  were  none.  These  facts  had  decided  me  to  accept 
the  risks,  whatever  these  might  be,  and  go  into  those  wild, 
inaccessible  mountains  which  bear  the  name  of  Accursed. 

Everybody  warned  me  of  danger.  Friends  in  England 
constantly  urged  me  to  "  take  care  of  myself,"  as  though 
that  were  possible  when  in  the  midst  of  a  hostile  tribe ;  and 
in  fact  there  seemed  to  be  a  conspiracy  on  the  part  of  friends, 
strangers,  and  officials  to  prevent  me  penetrating  the  Land 
of  Mystery. 


42  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

When  I  mentioned  my  intention  in  Cettinje,  everyone,  as  I 
have  already  said,  held  up  their  hands  and  raised  their  eyes. 
It  was  sheer  madness,  they  declared.  Nobody's  life  was 
worth  a  moment's  purchase  outside  the  town  of  Skodra — 
or  Scutari,  as  it  appears  on  our  maps.  Outside — beyond 
Turkish  control — well,  I  should  not  be  allowed  to  travel  a 
couple  of  miles  before  I  had  a  bullet  through  me  from  behind 
a  rock  at  the  roadside. 

Everybody  had  some  weird  or  horrible  story  to  tell  about 
the  savagery  of  the  Hoti,  the  Kastrati,  the  Skreli,  and  other 
savage  tribes  inhabiting  those  high,  misty  mountains  beyond 
the  Montenegro  border.  The  one  or  two  Albanians — tall, 
muscular  fellows  in  white  felt  skullcap,  tight  white  woollen 
trousers  heavily  braided  with  black,  and  a  kind  of  black 
bolero  with  long  fringe — whom  I  had  seen  in  Montenegro 
were  certainly  a  sinister-looking,  forbidding  lot.  But  I  had 
come  to  the  Balkans  to  investigate  and  to  learn  the  truth  ; 
therefore  the  more  I  was  urged  not  to  attempt  to  go  into 
the  mountains,  the  firmer  was  my  determination  to  do  so. 

His  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Nicholas  himself,  had  at  one 
of  the  audiences  he  granted  me  seriously  queried  the  advisabiUty 
of  undertaking  the  journey.  Almost  daily  on  the  Albanian 
frontier  were  raids  into  Montenegrin  territory,  and  the  whole 
border  was  constantly  terrorised  by  the  Albanian  bands,  who 
shot  the  Montenegrins  wherever  found.  Indeed,  the  market 
at  Podgoritza,  where  men  squatted  with  loaded  rifles  over  four 
or  five  fowls  or  a  basket  of  apples,  was  sufficient  to  tell  me  the 
truth ;  while  the  daily  talk  of  that  town  was  of  fighting  with 
the  wild  race  who  live  across  the  border.  The  Montenegrin 
hates  the  Albanian,  and  has  surely  good  cause  to  do  so.  Many 
a  comely  Montenegrin  maiden — and  some  of  them  are  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful — has  been  captured  in  those  night  raids 
and  carried  across  into  Turkish  territory,  to  be  heard  of  no 
more.  And  many,  too,  are  the  reprisals  by  the  Montenegrins ; 
mostly,  however,  with  serious  losses  to  themselves. 

Palok,  whom  I  had  engaged  as  my  guide,  had,  he  said, 
been  bom  in  Skodra,  or,  as  we  call  it,  Scutari,  which  causes  it 
to  be  confounded  with  the  city  on  the  Bosphorus.     He  also 


Ryeka,   Montenegro. 


Zabliak,   Montenegro. 


INTO  A  SAVAGE  REGION  43 

declared  that  he  was  well  known  there,  and  the  fact  that  he 
also  spoke  Italian  caused  me  to  accept  his  services. 

When  I  asked  Fevzi  Pasha,  the  Turkish  Minister  in  Cettinje, 
for  a  passport  for  Skodra,  or  "  Scutari  d'Albanie,"  as  it  appears 
on  the  visa,  he  granted  it,  but  not  without  words  of  caution. 
"  In  Scutari  you  will  have  nothing  to  fear,"  he  said.  "  I 
will  give  you  a  note  to  the  Governor  of  the  town.  But  do 
not  go  into  the  country.     If  you  do,  you'll  be  shot  like  a  dog." 

I  thanked  him,  but  had  no  intention  of  taking  his  well- 
meant  advice. 

At  half-past  three  one  dark  morning  I  took  Palok,  and 
we  drove  out  on  the  road  that  wound  high  up  across  the  great 
lonely  mountains  to  the  little  town  of  Ryeka,  whence  a  small 
steamer  plies  down  the  Lake  of  Scutari  to  Skodra.  The  drive 
was  cold  and  weary,  through  a  barren  waste  of  rocks,  but  the 
bright  autumn  sun  was  up  ere  we  reached  Ryeka,  and  just 
as  I  boarded  the  big  canoe  with  long,  upturned,  pointed  prow, 
which  takes  passengers  and  baggage  down  the  sluggish  stream 
to  the  boat  at  the  entrance  to  the  lake,  I  saw,  on  the  road 
above,  a  fine  military  figure  in  pale  blue,  riding  a  splendid  white 
charger  and  followed  by  an  officer. 

In  a  moment  every  head  was  bared.  It  was  Prince 
Nicholas,  who  was  staying  at  his  palace  at  Ryeka,  taking  his 
morning  ride. 

He  espied  me,  pulled  up,  and  shouted  down  in  Italian — 

"  HuUoa  !  Good-morning  !  Then  you  are  off  to  Albania 
after  aU,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Monseigneur,"  I  responded. 

"  Did  you  get  my  message  last  night  ? "  he  inquired,  re- 
ferring to  a  confidential  matter. 

"  Thank  you,  Monseigneur,  yes." 

"  Very  well.  Only  be  careful  of  yourself,  you  know,  and 
when  you  get  back,  come  and  tell  me  aU  about  it."  And, 
laughing,  His  Royal  Highness  waved  his  hand  with  a  merry 
"  Bon  voyage  !  "  and  cantered  away,  while  my  half  a  dozen 
fellow-travellers  in  gold-braided  costumes  regarded  me  in 
wonder  that  their  Prince  should  stop  and  converse  with 
me — a  perfect  stranger. 


44  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Down  the  silent  river,  between  steep  green  hills  we  glided. 
Choked  by  the  tangle  and  rot  of  weeds,  it  was  the  haunt  of 
tlioiisands  of  waterfowl,  and,  as  we  passed,  the  herons  rose  with 
a  lazy  flapping  of  wings, — a  stream  that  might  well  be  haunted 
by  the  fairies,  for  the  water  was  unruffled  and  the  sUence  deep 
and  complete^ 

Boarding  the  little  steamer,  the  Nettimo,  lying  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  we  were  soon  out  in  the  great  green  lake, 
with  the  high  mountains  looming  grey  in  the  far  distance. 
As  we  steamed  due  south,  the  barren  mountains  of  Montenegro 
were  soon  left  behind.  At  Virpasar  and  Plavnitza  we  picked  up 
passengers,  a  fat  Turkish  peasant  woman  carrying  two  baskets 
of  fowls,  and  three  young  Montenegrins,  fully  armed  with 
rifles  and  revolvers.  Because  she  was  not  yet  in  Turkey,  the 
woman  wore  no  veil ;  yet  in  the  evening,  as  soon  as  Skodra 
came  in  sight,  she  produced  her  veil,  and  carefully  adjusted 
it,  laughing  with  me  the  whole  time,  and  wound  it  until 
only  her  bright  dark  eyes  were  visible. 

From  Virpasar  an  Italian  company  is  now  building  a 
railway  to  the  Montenegrin  port  of  Antivari,  so  that  in  a 
couple  of  years  the  lake  will  be  connected  with  the  Adriatic, 
and  form  the  much-needed  trade  route  for  Montenegro.  The 
Servians,  indeed,  are  hoping  also  to  use  Antivari  as  their 
Adriatic  port,  and  thus  be  free  of  the  excessive  Customs  dues 
and  other  oppression  placed  upon  them  by  Austria-Hungary. 
When  in  Belgrade,  M.  Stoyanovitch,  the  Servian  Minister  of 
Commerce,  explained  to  me  the  several  schemes  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  railroad  from  Krushevatz,  in  Servia,  by  way 
of  Novi-Bazar,  Ipek,  Podgoritza,  and  Ryeka,  to  join  the 
Italian  line  at  Virpasar,  and  so  to  the  Adriatic  or  to  San 
Giovanni  di  Medua.  Servia  must  secure  a  port,  and  this  line, 
whenever  made,  will  be  a  most  paying  concern,  for  by  its 
extension  from  Stalacs — on  the  main  Belgrade-Sofia  line — to 
Orsova,  it  would  receive  most  of  the  exports  of  Southern 
Russia  to  Western  Europe. 

The  mere  handful  of  lake-side  dwellings  which  now  con- 
stitutes Virpasar  will,  ere  many  years  have  passed,  grow  into 
an  important  trade  centre,  and  upon  the  great  silent  lake, 


Palok,    my    companion    through    the    Skreli    country. 


INTO  A  SAVAGE  REGION  45 

surrounded  by  those  high  sheer  mountains  where  the  eagle 
and  the  peUcan  are  now  the  only  signs  of  life,  big  passenger  and 
freight  steamers  will  soon  ply.  The  railway,  which  must  be 
built  ere  long,  will  quickly  bring  a  civilising  influence  upon 
Northern  Albania ;  therefore,  if  one  wishes  to  see  it  in  all  its 
wildness,  it  must  be  seen  to-day.  In  another  decade  the 
Albanian  brigand — the  real  thing  out  of  the  story-book — will 
be  only  a  matter  of  history. 

The  calm,  bright  day  was  perfect.  The  surface  of  the 
great  lake  was  like  a  mirror,  and  the  fringe  of  giant  mountain 
constantly  changed  in  colour — grey,  blue,  purple,  and  rose — as 
the  hours  wore  on,  and  the  sun  sank  westward  in  all  the 
crimson  glory  of  the  death  of  the  autumn  day. 

Now  and  then,  with  our  rifles,  we  took  pot-shots  at  the 
pelicans,  but  with  little  result.  A  young  Montenegrin  killed 
one,  and  the  huge  bird  came  down  with  a  great  splash  into 
the  water.  At  last,  in  the  falling  twilight,  we  cast  anchor 
at  the  head  of  the  Boyana  River,  which  empties  itself  into  the 
lake,  and  then,  boarding  another  high-prowed  canoe,  where 
a  Turkish  soldier  sat  over  us  with  a  loaded  rifle,  we  were 
rowed  slowly  up  to  the  low  line  of  ramshackle  buildings, 
which  was  our  first  sight  of  Skodra. 

With  our  farewell  to  the  Nettmio  we  had  said  good-bye  to 
civilisation,  as  represented  by  sturdy  Montenegro.  We  were 
in  Albania,  the  wildest  and  most  turbulent  country  in  the 
East. 

We  landed  upon  some  slim}^  steps  amid  a  perfect  babel  of 
shouts.  Hundreds  of  unwashed  Turks  and  Albanians  were 
awaiting  us,  all  shouting  in  a  language  of  which  I  understood 
not  one  word.  Every  man,  armed  and  of  ferocious  aspect, 
seemed  ready  to  make  short  work  of  both  Palok  and  myself. 
Indeed,  so  unpleasant  is  the  landing  at  Skodra,  that  Palok 
himself  had  already  sent  a  message  to  a  friend  of  his — a  typical 
brigand  of  the  first  water — to  give  the  Customs  officer  a  tip, 
and  so  make  pleasant  our  path  through  that  dark,  evil-smelling 
hole  where  the  Turks  collect  their  dues.  Palok's  friend, 
whom  I  only  saw  on  that  one  occasion,  and  whose  name  I 
could  not  ascertain,  had  managed  to  secure  from  somewhere 


46  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

a  mustard-coloured  ramshackle  fly,  the  upholstering  of  which 
was  in  ribbons.  The  driver,  in  his  white  fez,  with  dirty  white 
baggy  trousers  and  yellow  tunic,  came  forward  and  saluted 
me  with  deep  obeisance,  while  I  was  explaining  to  the  passport 
officer — a  ragged,  consumptive  youth — that  my  name  was  not 
"  We,  Sir  Edward  Grey." 

The  chief  of  the  Customs  was  a  long,  very  thin,  white- 
fezzed  Turk  with  large  silver  -  mounted  pistols  in  his  belt, 
very  tight  white  trousers,  a  gold-embroidered  jacket,  and 
pointed  slippers  that  turned  up  at  the  toes  in  the  most  approved 
style.  He  was  a  real  live  Bey,  so  Palok  told  me,  but  he  was 
not  averse  to  receiving  tenpence  as  a  tip.  Later,  when  I  left 
Scutari  (or  Skodra)  again,  I  gave  him  ten  Austrian  crowns,  for 
I  had  in  my  bag  a  couple  of  thousand  cigarettes,  which,  by 
Turkish  law,  are  prohibited  from  leaving  the  country.  His 
charge  for  winking  at  the  contravention  is  five  crowns  a 
thousand  ! 

Turkish  Custom  Houses  are  weird  places,  and  it  is  no 
wonder  that  the  British  Ambassador  at  Constantinople  is  just 
now  pressing  for  some  reform.  Your  belongings  are  not  only 
thoroughly  examined  and  heavily  assessed  for  Customs — if  you 
won't  tip — when  you  enter  Turkish  territory,  but  the  same 
happens  when  you  leave.  Woe-betide  those  who  dispense 
with  the  services  of  a  discreet  dragoman  and  do  not  tip.  All 
that  you  may  have  bought  in  Turkey  will  be  found  liable  to 
duty.  Gold  embroideries  will  be  weighed,  and  anything  that 
has  the  Sultan's  monogram  upon  it — as  so  many  embroideries 
have — will  be  at  once  confiscated. 

The  man  in  the  fez  is  grave  and  inexorable.  His  attitude 
is  as  though  he  would  scorn  the  offer  of  a  bribe  and  throw 
you  into  prison  for  daring  to  insult  an  official  of  His  Imperial 
Majesty.  Yet  outside  the  Custom  House  he  keeps  a  crafty 
ragamuffin  who  is  ready  to  accept  a  four-franc  piece  on  his 
behalf,  and  for  that  he  will  pass  a  thousand  pounds'  worth 
of  goods  with  only  a  pretence  of  search !  The  Custom  House 
at  Galata  on  the  Bosphorus  is  a  case  in  point.  There  are 
five  officials  there  who  share  the  spoils  from  the  traveller. 

Yes,  the  land  of  the  Crescent  is  indeed  a  quaint  country. 


INTO  A  SAVAGE  REGION  47 

The  corruption  of  Turkish  Customs  officials  is  no  doubt  due 
to  the  frequent  non-payment  of  their  stipends.  They  must 
hve,  and  do  so  by  accepting  bribes.  I  afterwards  spoke  to 
certain  high  government  officials  at  Constantinople  about  it, 
and  they  admitted  that  they  knew  bribery  existed  exten- 
sively, but  at  present  were  utterly  unable  to  suppress  it. 

Over  the  ramshackle  Custom  House,  a  dark  hole  without  a 
window,  frowns  a  shattered  fortress  containing  one  or  two 
antiquated  guns,  a  photograph  of  which  I  afterwards  obtained 
surreptitiously,  and  which  appears  in  these  pages.  Had  I 
been  discovered,  I  might  have  spent  an  unpleasant  year  or 
so  in  a  Turkish  prison.  But  even  that  offence,  so  heinous  in 
Germany,  France,  or  Austria,  I  suppose  I  could  easily  have 
expiated  with  a  few  piastres  of  backsheesh.  In  Turkey  you 
can  do  anything — if  you  are  prepared  to  pay. 

Upon  that  filthy  crowd  around  the  Custom  House  at  Skodra, 
upon  those  crumbling  buildings,  upon  that  old  white  fortress, 
upon  the  tower  of  Skodra  itself,  a  mile  away,  the  centuries 
of  progress  have  made  no  impression.  Here  is  the  country 
of  a  mediaeval  people,  the  life  of  an  age  long  ago  past  and 
forgotten. 

While  our  fellow-travellers  were  squabbling,  arguing, 
shouting,  and  cursing  the  wild,  dirty  mob  who  now  filled 
the  Custom  House,  we,  with  our  baggage — canvas  bags, 
specially  made  to  sling  on  mules  for  mountain  travelling — 
ascended  into  the  mustard-coloured  conveyance  and  were 
driven  along  a  country  lane,  very  English  in  its  appearance, 
with  bramble  hedgerows  and  ditches ;  yet  the  high,  thin  minaret 
of  a  mosque  before  us,  and  the  carefully  latticed  windows 
of  a  house,  preventing  the  women-folk  from  being  seen  from 
the  roadway,  and  giving  the  place  an  air  of  mystery,  showed 
us  to  be  in  the  land  of  His  Majesty  the  Sultan — in  Albania  the 
Unknown. 


CHAPTER    II 
WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP 

Fired  at  in  the  street  of  Skodra — My  comfortless  inn — Panorama  of  life — 
Armed  bands  of  wild  mountaineers  in  the  streets — The  Sign  of  the 
Cross — Scutarine  people — The  fascination  of  Skodra — In  the  den  of 
my  friend  Salko — Making  purchases — Short  shrift  with  swindlers — 
Some  genuine  antiques — Ragged  and  shoeless  soldiers  of  the  Sultan — 
Men  shot  in  the  blood-feud — "  It  is  nothing  !  " 

I  HAD  not  been  in  Skodra  half  an  hour  before  a  man  fired 
at  me  with  his  revolver. 

It  was  my  welcome  to  Albania,  and  I  confess  that  I  drew 
my  own  weapon  from  my  belt,  prepared  to  defend  myself. 

I  had  arrived  at  the  han,  or  inn,  a  poor  place  dignified  by 
the  name  of  Hotel  de  I'Europe,  washed,  and  descended  to  the 
street,  when,  on  emerging  from  the  doorway,  somebody  fired 
his  pistol  right  in  my  face.  The  flash  startled  me,  and  in  an 
instant  I  was  on  my  guard  with  my  back  to  the  wall.  In  that 
brief  second  all  that  I  had  heard  of  the  insecurity  of  Albania 
flashed  back. 

My  assailant — a  tall,  ragged-looking,  middle-aged  Turk  in 
a  scarlet  fez — laughed  in  my  face  and  uttered  some  words  that 
I  did  not  understand.  He  saw  rriy  weapon  shining  in  the 
dim  light,  and  pushed  it  away  with  a  laugh.  His  manner 
struck  me  as  friendly,  so  I  dropped  my  arm;  whereupon 
another  man,  in  passing,  also  fired,  then  another  and  another, 
until,  ten  seconds  later,  eve"ybody  in  the  street  was  firing 
indiscriminately,  and  bullets  were  flying  in  all  directions. 

I  held  my  breath.  Had  the  place  actually  revolted  against 
the  Turk  just  at  the  moment  of  my  arrival  ?  If  so,  I  was  in 
luck's  way.     I  knew  that  the  Albanian  hated  the  Turk,  for 

18 


In   Skodra. 


WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP  49 

Palok  had  told  me  that  the  revolution  was  only  a  question 
of  time,  and  that  one  day  his  people  would  drive  them  out 
of  Skodra.  The  place  was  once  Servian,  and  captured  by 
the  Turks  in  1479.  Yet  the  Albanian  still  looks  upon  the 
Turk  as  a  miserable  intruder,  and  intends  one  day,  ere  long, 
to  drive  him  out. 

Around  me,  on  every  hand,  pistols  were  being  fired,  the 
flashes  showing  red  in  the  night,  and  I  stood  breathless, 
wondering  what  was  happening.  The  man  who  had  fired 
in  my  face  was  grinning  at  my  alarm,  when  Palok  dashed  out 
to  me. 

"  Signore !  Signore !  "  he  cried,  in  Italian.  "It  is 
nothing  !  Don't  be  alarmed.  It  is  only  the  vigil  of  the  fast 
of  Ramadan.     It  is  our  way  of  celebrating  it !  " 

By  that  time  every  man  in  the  whole  town  was  firing  off 
his  revolver.     The  din  was  deafening. 

"  Very  well,"  I  laughed.  "  Then  I'll  celebrate  it  too," 
and,  raising  my  arm,  I  also  emptied  my  weapon  in  the  air. 

The  grinning  Turk  who  had  first  fired  and  alarmed  me 
saluted  me  by  touching  chin  and  forehead,  and  then  we  laughed 
together.  It  was  certainly  fortunate  for  him  and  for  myself 
that  I  had  not  let  fly,  but  he  did  not  seem  to  heed  at  all  the 
danger  of  firing  suddenly  upon  a  foreigner  ignorant  of  what 
was  about  to  happen. 

The  han,  with  the  dignified  name  of  "  hotel,"  was  certainly 
an  uncomfortable  place.  Cold  roast  pork,  a  trifle  "  high,"  was 
aU  I  could  get  to  eat,  and  this  was  washed  down  by  a  light 
red  vinegar,  which  was  probably  at  one  time  wine.  For  five 
days  running  I  had  that  very  same  pork  served  twice  a  day, 
until  I  sent  Palok  into  the  bazaar  to  buy  me  other  supplies. 
A  narrow  camp  bed,  an  iron  washstand  with  tin  fittings, 
a  pail  and  a  deal  table,  comprised  my  furniture,  the  best 
accommodation  that  Skodra  could  afford. 

Yet  the  town  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  interesting  in 
all  the  Balkans,  and  its  people  the  most  strangely  mixed 
and  wearing  a  greater  variety  of  Eastern  costume  than  even 
in  Constantinople  itself. 

The  bazaar,  down  by  the  river,  is  full  of  quaint  types 
4 


•% 


50  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

and  most  interesting.  Its  uneven  pavement  is  quite  as  un- 
clean and  slippery  with  the  dirt  of  ages  as  are  the  streets 
of  Constantinople,  but  its  dark  little  sheds  are  filled  by  workers, 
silver  and  copper  smiths,  embroiderers,  armourers,  weavers, 
jewellers — in  fact,  one  sees  every  trade  being  carried  on  in 
the  same  primitive  way  and  with  the  same  tools  as  in  the 
Middle  Ages. 

Skodra  is  not  a  town  of  progress,  for  there  telephone  or 
electric  light  is  forbidden  ;  machinery  of  every  kind  is  against 
the  law,  and  neither  newspapers  nor  books  are  allowed  to 
enter  Albania.  Therefore  in  those  crooked  streets  of  the 
bazaar  the  traveller  is  back  in  mediaeval  days,  and  the  town 
of  to-day  is  just  as  Florence  was  in  the  days  of  Boccaccio  or 
Dante.  Like  the  mediaeval  Florentines,  many  of  the  men 
from  the  mountains  shave  their  heads,  leaving  a  tuft  of  bushy 
hair  at  the  back,  which  is  cut  square  at  the  neck.  With  their 
tight-fitting  black-and-white  striped  trousers,  black  woollen 
boleros,  their  belts  filled  with  cartridges,  and  a  rifle  over  their 
shoulders,  they  are  a  fine,  manly  race,  with  swaggering  gait, 
clean-cut  features — mostly  Catholics,  who  spit  openly  at  the 
lean,  ragged,  ill-fed  soldiers  of  the  Sultan. 

They  come  down  from  the  mountains  in  armed  bands, 
and  walk  through  the  town,  a  dozen  or  so  together,  in  com- 
plete defiance  of  the  Turk.  With  men  upon  whose  heads 
a  price  has  been  set — known  brigands  or  murderers,  indeed — 
I  have  chatted  and  drunk  coffee  in  the  bazaar,  all  wild  fellows 
who  know  no  law  except  their  own,  and  who  do  not  acknow- 
ledge the  Turk  as  their  ruler.  When  I  inquired  of  Palok 
the  reason  of  their  immunity  from  arrest,  he  replied — 

"  Why,  signore,  if  the  Turks  captured  one  of  these,  the 
whole  of  Northern  Albania  would  rise  as  one  man.  The 
tribes  would  sweep  down  from  the  mountains  and  sack  and 
burn  Skodra  within  twenty-four  hours.  Life  in  this  town  is 
very  uncertain,  I  can  tell  you.  One  never  knows  when  the 
rising  will  take  place.  All  is  ripe  for  it,  and  when  it  comes, 
then  woe-betide  the  Turk  and  all  the  Moslems.  Have  you 
not  noticed  the  Sign  of  the  Cross  over  the  doors  of  the  Chris- 
tians ?     Is  that  not  significant  ?  " 


WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP  51 

The  Albanian  tribesmen  are  mostly  Catholics,  together 
with  some  Orthodox;  yet  they  combine  religion  strangely 
with  war.  They  go  to  the  Catholic  Cathedral  in  Skodra 
with  loaded  rifles,  which  they  place  before  them  as  they  kneel 
and  pray,  and  before  murdering  their  enemy  they  will  go 
and  ask  Providence  to  assist  them. 

The  town  Christian  of  Skodra  is,  for  the  most  part,  a 
very  excellent  fellow.  Palok,  whom  I  found  was  well  known, 
introduced  me  to  many  of  them,  and  in  that  wild  land  I  re- 
ceived very  many  charming  kindnesses  from  perfect  strangers. 

The  costume  of  the  Scutarine  men  is  distinctly  quaint 
and  curious.  A  short  dark  red  jacket,  the  front  and  sleeves 
of  which  are  so  completely  braided  with  narrow  black  braid 
as  to  almost  hide  the  foundation,  and  edged  with  dozens  of 
oblong  brass  buttons ;  a  pair  of  wide,  dark  blue  baggy  breeches 
reaching  to  the  knee ;  a  round  flat  fez  with  a  huge  blue  silk 
tassel  that  falls  about  the  shoulders ;  a  bright,  striped  sflk 
sash ;  their  legs  in  white  cotton  stockings  and  feet  in  patent 
leather  dress-shoes.  Such  is  the  dress  of  the  average  Christian 
one  meets  in  Skodra. 

The  attire  of  the  women  is  even  more  extraordinary. 
They  veil,  just  as  do  the  Mohammedan  women,  and  only 
uncover  their  faces  when  they  go  to  church.  For  the  most 
part  they  are  beautiful  when  young,  with  clear,  delicate  com- 
plexions, handsome  features,  and  dancing  black  eyes ;  but 
after  seventeen  appear  to  soon  lose  their  beauty  and  become 
prematurely  wrinkled  and  old.  The  outdoor  dress  is  generally 
made  of  the  same  dark  red  cloth  as  the  men's  jackets,  so 
completely  embroidered  as  to  appear  black.  Indeed  no 
Scutarine,  either  man  or  woman,  goes  out  in  a  dress  unless  it 
is  covered  with  embroidery.  In  every  street  you  will  see  a 
dozen  men  squatting  cross-legged  in  a  little  dark  shop,  busily 
plying  the  needle  upon  the  narrow  black  braid,  and  applying 
tiny  pieces  of  green  cloth  among  the  braid  as  additional 
ornament.  Often  the  braiding  is  a  marvel  of  needlework 
and  design,  and  some  of  the  outdoor  costumes  of  the  women, 
though  exceedingly  ugly,  are  ornamented  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  amaze  the  Western  eye. 


52  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Female  outdoor  attire  is,  of  course,  of  the  divided  skirt 
order,  trousers  of  thick  braided  cloth  so  clumsy  that  the 
wearer  can  only  walk  with  difficulty,  a  long  cape,  richly 
embroidered  on  the  shoulders  and  reaching  to  the  hips,  with 
a  square  kind  of  sailor  collar  that  is  raised  and  pinned  to  the 
crown  of  the  head.  From  the  bridge  of  the  nose  to  the  knee 
falls  the  white  veil,  like  the  Moslem  women,  while  from  the 
sash  are  pinned  gaily  coloured  silk  handkerchiefs,  which, 
appearing  below  the  cape,  lend  additional  colour  to  the  most 
unwieldy  and  ugly  of  all  the  dresses  of  the  East.  The  wearer 
cannot  walk,  but  can  only  waddle  with  difficulty. 

The  streets  of  Skodra  are,  however,  a  perfect  panorama 
of  costume.  In  the  dark  entries  the  shuffling  Mohammedan 
women,  white-clothed  from  head  to  foot  and  veiled,  look 
ghostly  and  mysterious  ;  the  Mohammedan  unmarried  girls 
with  the  striped  red-and-white  veil  wrapped  about  them ; 
Albanians  from  the  south  in  short,  stiff  cotton  skirts  like 
exaggerated  kilts ;  Turks  in  greasy  frock-coats  and  discoloured 
fezes,  strolling  slowly,  fingering  their  beads  to  pass  the  time 
through  Ramadan ;  fierce  tribesmen  from  the  mountains  in  all 
sorts  of  different  costumes,  fully  armed  and  ready  to  shoot 
in  an  instant  at  discovering  an  enemy  even  there  in  the 
crowded  bazaar;  unveiled  country  women  in  short,  coarse, 
black  homespun  skirts,  wearing  great  iron-studded  belts  and 
savage  ornaments  in  brass,  copper,  and  gold  ;  giggling  girls 
from  the  mountains  four  or  five  days  distant,  dressed  in  their 
gorgeous  gala  dresses,  laughing  as  they  bargain  with  the 
voluble  keepers  of  the  tiny  shops  in  the  bazaar. 

Skodra  fascinates  one.  There  is  no  European  influence 
here  :  not  a  soul  is  in  European  dress.  It  is  the  unchanging 
East — the  same  life  that  has  existed  here  for  centuries.  The 
Turks  are,  however,  fanatics,  and  Palok  will  not  allow  me 
to  smoke  a  cigarette  in  the  street  in  the  daytime,  for  in  the 
fast  of  Ramadan  the  Mohammedans  abstain  from  aU  food, 
drink,  and  tobacco  from  four  in  the  morning  tiU  the  gun  fires 
on  the  fortress  at  sunset. 

Upon  Palok's  advice  I  even  wore  a  fez,  so  as  not  to  be 
too  conspicuous. 


WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP  53 

When  I  asked  the  reason,  he  simply  grinned,  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  said — 

"  The  signore  believes  Skodra  to  be  a  safe  place.  But  it 
is  not  always  so.  Why  run  unnecessary  risk  ?  And  a  fez  is 
very  comfortable." 

So  after  buying  a  fez,  I  took  it  to  the  ironer,  a  white- 
bearded  old  Turk,  who  pressed  it  and  shrunk  it  and  combed  out 
its  tassel  with  great  ceremony,  and  then  I  assumed  the  dis- 
tinctive mark  of  the  Sultan's  subjects,  evidently  to  the  great 
relief  of  the  faithful  Palok. 

On  our  first  visit  to  the  bazaar  Palok  discovered  a  friend. 
He  was  a  very  tall,  thin-legged  Albanian,  in  a  white  fez,  a 
white  woollen  bolero,  and  the  usual  black-and-white  woollen 
trousers  and  turned -up  shoes  of  raw -hide  and  interlaced 
string.  In  one  of  the  narrow,  tortuous  ways  of  the  bazaar, 
on  a  kind  of  platform  before  a  small  ramshackle  booth, 
where  rope  and  twine  were  displayed,  he  was  squatting  cross- 
legged,  staring  into  space  and  awaiting  customers. 

Suddenly  espying  Palok,  he  seized  his  slippers,  which 
stood  near  him,  and  sprang  out  upon  the  filthy  pavement. 
Next  second  the  pair  were  clasped  in  embrace,  and  after 
many  mutual  words  of  warm  welcome  in  Albanian,  I  was 
introduced. 

The  seller  of  string  looked  me  up  and  down  critically  until 
his  eye  caught  my  revolver  in  my  belt,  and  then,  apparently 
satisfied  with  my  appearance,  he  touched  his  chin  and  brow 
in  salutation. 

We  ascended  to  the  little  platform,  and  a  box  was  brought 
for  me  to  sit  upon.  A  shout  into  the  narrow  alley  brought 
me  a  cup  of  Turkish  coffee. 

"  This  is  my  friend,  Salko,"  Palok  explained,  in  Italian, 
after  the  pair  had  been  apparently  discussing  me.  "  Mio  buon 
amico.  One  of  the  best  men  in  the  bazaar.  For  eight  years 
we  have  been  parted,  and  how  pleased  I  am  to  see  him  again." 

Salko  interrupted,  whereupon  Palok  said — 

"  My  friend  apologises,  signore,  that  he  cannot  take  coffee 
with  you,  or  offer  you  a  cigarette.     It  is  Ramadan,  you  know." 

I  offered  Salko  my  case,  and,  taking  a  cigarette,  he  placed 


54  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

it  aside  until  after  sunset,  touching  his  chin  and  brow  and 
laughing  merrily. 

I  wanted  to  buy  several  things  in  the  bazaar — a  piece  or 
two  of  old  silver,  if  I  could  find  it — and  some  antique  em- 
broideries which  Palok  had  told  me  I  could  find.  He  told 
Salko  this,  whereupon  he  shouted  outside  to  a  passer-by,  and 
in  a  moment  the  news  was  all  over  the  bazaar,  and  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men  appeared  with  various  things  for  sale: 
beautiful  silver-mounted  and  gem-studded  pistols  and  swords, 
old  silver  ornaments,  embroideries  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
genuine  antiques  of  all  sorts,  old  jewellery — in  fact,  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  Salko's  little  shed-like  shop  presented  the 
appearance  of  that  of  an  antique  dealer. 

Two  gorgeous  Turkish  ladies'  costumes  attracted  me. 
The  trousers  were  of  silk,  and  interwoven  with  real  gold  and 
silver  thread ;  the  boleros  of  rich  crimson  velvet,  wonderfully 
embroidered  with  gold ;  the  sashes  gay ;  and  the  little  fezes, 
with  golden  sequins,  smart  and  coquettish.  They  were  the 
real  thing,  and  could  be  worn  at  a  fancy-dress  ball  in  England 
with  certain  success. 

I  liked  them,  for  they  were  the  genuine  thing.  Dresses 
such  as  they  were  are  not  made  nowadays.  Turkish  ladies  of 
to-day  prefer  the  lighter  stuffs  of  the  Franks,  silks  from  Paris, 
and  figured  gauzes  from  Germany.  Those  dresses  had  once 
graced  the  harem  of  some  great  Pasha — perhaps,  indeed,  that  of 
the  Sultan  himself.  So  I  allowed  Salko  to  bargain  for  them. 
I  watched,  and  was  amused. 

The  man  who  had  them  to  sell  apparently  asked  a  price 
that  was  exorbitant,  whereupon  my  friend,  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand,  ordered  him  to  pack  them  back  in  the  bundle. 

High  words  followed,  and  I  expected  every  moment  the 
pair  would  come  to  blows.  The  vendor  was  a  round,  fat-faced 
eunuch,  with  an  ugly  scar  across  his  brown  cheek.  And 
while  the  controversy  was  in  progress,  the  others  who  had 
wares  to  offer  squatted  about  and  advised  each  side  as  to  how 
much  the  costumes  were  really  worth.  Then  at  last  both 
sides  got  at  loggerheads,  hard  words  were  used  and  insulting 
gestures;    fists  were   shaken,   and   angry  scowls  exchanged, 


WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP  55 

until   I  momentarily  expected  that  there  would  be  a  free 
fight  and  bloodshed. 

One  man  I  noticed  who  had  not  spoken  was  fingering  the 
hilt  of  his  knife,  as  though  itching  to  join  in  the  fray. 

"  I'm  going  out  of  this,"  I  told  Palok,  whereupon  he  only 
laughed. 

"  There's  really  nothing  to  fear,  signore.  It  is  always  so. 
They  ask  double,  and  Salko  is  teaching  the  fellow  manners. 
You  are  a  foreigner,  and  you  don't  understand." 

I  admitted  that  I  did  not. 

The  argument  continued,  and  in  the  end  the  fat-faced 
eunuch  was  bundled  out  by  Salko  into  the  dirty  alley  and  his 
goods  thrown  after  him. 

Nobody  smiled.  Such  treatment  seemed  usual,  and  on 
the  following  day  I  bought  the  dresses. 

The  next  was  a  little  old  Turk  with  a  long  white  beard, 
who  had  an  old  silver  ornament  for  sale,  one  of  those  tri- 
angular boxes  which  women  wear  round  their  necks  containing 
scraps  of  the  Koran,  supposed  to  protect  them  from  the 
influence  of  the  Evil  Eye. 

Though  he  came  meek  and  humble,  Salko  glared  at  him. 
No.  The  Englishman  was  his  guest,  and  he  would  see  that 
only  what  was  just  was  paid.  He  took  the  ornament  from 
me,  and  weighing  it  in  his  hand,  judged  its  worth.  Two 
other  men  agreed,  and  the  old  man,  without  being  consulted, 
was  handed  the  money  and  told  to  be  gone. 

Assuredly  business  methods  are  quaint  in  the  town  we 
Europeans  call  Scutari. 

Another  after  another — shopkeepers,  all  of  them  in  the 
same  category  as  Salko  himself — was  interviewed.  Those  who 
offered  rubbish  were  promptly  ordered  out.  And  so,  before  me, 
seated  upon  my  box,  was  unfolded  the  treasures  of  the  bazaar. 

And  assuredly  some  of  the  curios  offered  were  fit  to  grace 
any  museum.  Seldom  does  a  foreigner  visit  Skodra,  therefore 
it  still  contains  many  real  antiques ;  and  there  being  no  sale 
for  them,  prices  are  not  exorbitant.  It  is,  indeed,  one  of  the 
few  places  left  where  one  can  obtain  anything  worth  having. 

A  long,  lean  Christian,  in  his  flat  round  fez  and  enormous 


56  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

tassel,  offered  me  nine  early  Greek  gold  coins  that  had  only 
a  week  before  been  discovered  in  a  tomb.  I  doubted  the 
tomb  part  of  the  story,  but  I  was  afterwards  shown  it  half  a 
mile  away,  and  could  also  have  bought  the  actual  vase  in 
which  they  had  been  found.  I  am  not  a  collector  of  coins, 
so  I  declined  them.  One  day,  however,  those  coins  will,  no 
doubt,  find  their  way  into  one  of  our  European  national 
collections,  for  they  were  so  perfect  that  they  looked  as  though 
just  fresh  from  the  matrix. 

I  was  turning  over  in  my  hand  a  number  of  antique  gem 
rings,  when  of  a  sudden,  just  outside,  not  a  dozen  yards  from 
where  I  sat,  there  was  a  loud  shout,  followed  by  a  pistol-shot. 
Then  more  shouting,  and  a  little  crowd  gathered.  In  alarm 
I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  I  saw  outside  a  mountaineer,  in  white 
felt  skullcap,  lying  in  a  pool  of  blood  with  part  of  his  face 
blown  away. 

A  man  in  black-and-white  trousers  stalked  past,  flourishing 
his  big  pistol  and  threatening  to  shoot  anybody  who  dared 
to  stop  him.     He  was  the  assassin. 

"  It  is  nothing,  signore,"  Palok  declared,  reseating  himself. 
"  Only  the  blood-feud.  The  men  were  in  sangue,  and  have 
met.  In  such  cases  one  must  always  die.  The  man  who 
shoots  first  gets  the  best  of  it,"  and  he  grinned. 

For  fully  five  minutes  the  man  lay  in  the  filthy  gutter 
without  a  hand  being  placed  upon  him  to  see  if  life  were 
extinct.  Then  it  occurred  to  somebody  to  see.  He  was 
pronounced  dead,  and  a  couple  of  men  carried  away  the  corpse. 
No  police  or  guard  put  in  an  appearance,  and  the  life  of  the 
bazaar  went  on  as  though  nothing  unusual  had  happened. 

But  nothing  unusual  had  happened.  Such  assassinations 
occur  every  day,  and  nobody  takes  any  heed  of  them.  The 
blood-feud  is  part  of  the  Albanian  creed,  both  Mohammedan 
and  Christian. 

It  is  not,  however,  pleasant  to  have  a  man  shot  dead 
before  one's  eyes,  nor  does  it  tend  to  inspire  confidence  in 
one's  own  personal  safety. 

This  was  my  first  experience  of  the  murderous  instinct  of 
the  wild  Albanian,  but  ere  three  days  I  had  still  other  oppor- 


WHERE  LIFE  IS  CHEAP  57 

tunities  of  reflecting  upon  Palok's  remark  that  Skodra  was 
not  so  safe  a  place  as  it  looked. 

Indeed,  the  town  itself  is,  at  intervals,  threatened  with 
massacre.  Every  now  and  then  rumours  fly  round  that  the 
mountain  tribes  are  about  to  descend  upon  the  place  and  drive 
out  the  Turks.  Then  everybody  retires  to  their  houses — 
each  residence  has  high  walls,  and  is  more  or  less  a  fortress — 
the  bazaar  is  closed,  the  shops  are  barricaded,  and  the  ragged 
soldiers  of  the  Sultan  assemble  under  their  greasy-tunicked 
officers — and  wait. 

The  blow  for  liberty  has  not  yet  been  struck  by  the 
Albanians,  but  it  will  assuredly  come  ere  long. 

I  wanted  to  investigate,  and  get  at  the  truth.  That  is 
the  reason  why  those  high,  blue,  misty  mountains  that  I 
could  see  afar  from  the  narrow,  crooked  streets  of  Skodra 
held  me  in  such  fascination ;  that  is  why  I  disregarded  all 
advice  to  the  contrary,  and  determined  to  visit  the  Albanian 
at  home  in  his  rocky  fastness. 

That  same  night,  after  Salko  had  bargained  for  me,  I  was 
eating  my  evening  meal — of  pork — when  another  shot  sounded 
out  in  the  dark,  unlit  street. 

It  was  nothing,  I  was  told  by  Palok  five  minutes  later. 
A  man  had  been  found  dead  in  the  darkness.     That  was  all. 

The  average  number  of  assassinations  in  Scutari  is  about 
three  per  day.  Nobody  cares,  for  justice  is  nobody's  business 
except  that  of  the  dead  man's  brother,  or  his  next-of-kin. 

True,  there  is  an  Imperial  Court  of  Justice,  a  lath-built 
shed  with  gaping  holes  in  the  roof.  Its  steps  are  moss-grown, 
and  its  windows  mostly  broken  or  devoid  of  glass. 

Outside  the  place,  after  midday,  the  brave  defenders  of  the 
Ottoman  Empire,  those  shoeless  men  with  their  ragged  uni- 
forms dropping  off  them,  sell  their  ration  of  bread  to  the 
passer-by  in  order  to  get  money  to  buy  cigarettes.  They 
remain  unpaid,  and  their  bread  is  their  only  source  of  income. 
And  upon  the  protection  of  these  Skodra  has  to  rely. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  when  sinister  rumour  runs  through 
the  bazaar,  everybody  shoulders  his  rifle  and  sits  on  his  wall, 
prepared  to  defend  his  own  home  ? 


CHAPTER    III 
THE  LAWLESS  LAND 

My  friend  Pietro — Visit  to  his  house — His  wife  and  sister-in-law  unveil  and 
are  photographed — Scutarine  hospitality — Forbidden  newspapers — I 
get  one  in  secret — The  Turkish  post  office — I  want  to  visit  the  Accursed 
Mountains — Difficulties  and  fears — The  Feast  of  the  Madonna — Christians 
and  Mohammedans — My  first  meeting  with  the  dreaded  Skreli — Shots 
in  the  night. 

THOSE  bright,  sunny  autumn  days  in  Skodra  will  live  for 
a  long  time  within  my  memory. 

Though  a  stranger  in  that  half-savage  place,  where  law 
and  order  are  unknown,  I  received  perhaps  more  genuine 
hospitahty  from  perfect  strangers  than  in  any  other  place 
in  the  Balkan  Peninsula. 

Through  Palok's  introduction  I  quickly  found  myself 
among  friends,  who  exerted  their  utmost  in  order  to  entertain 
me,  and  went  out  of  their  way,  even  in  face  of  their  own 
national  customs  and  beliefs,  to  oblige  me.  The  Albanian 
idea  of  hospitality  is  old-world  and  charming.  A  case 
in  point  was  one  of  my  friends,  a  wealthy  Scutarine 
merchant  named  Pietro  Lekha,  whose  portrait  is  here  repro- 
duced. He  was  a  Christian,  and  spoke  a  little  Italian.  At 
first,  when  I  was  introduced  to  him  in  the  bazaar,  he  was 
silent  and  taciturn,  apparently  regarding  me  with  some  sus- 
picion ;  but  very  soon  this  wore  off,  and  we  became  the  best  of 
friends.  We  took  coffee  together  constantly,  and  he  gave  me 
exquisite  cigarettes.  In  Albania  there  is  no  r/gie,  as  in  other 
parts  of  Turkey,  therefore  one  can  choose  from  the  peasant- 
women  the  very  best  light  tobacco  in  leaf,  have  it  cut,  and 


THE  LAWLESS  LAND  59 

afterwards  employ  professional  cigarette-makers  to  manufac- 
ture you  cigarettes.  I  did  this,  and  sent  a  quantity  of  cigarettes 
of  the  very  first  quahty  to  England,  far  milder  and  sweeter 
than  any  to  be  purchased  in  Constantinople — or  anywhere 
else  in  the  world,  for  the  matter  of  that. 

Finding  that  I  was  taking  photographs,  Pietro  became 
interested.  He  accompanied  me  on  my  expeditions,  and  we 
had  spent  some  days  together  before  I  dared  to  inquire  about 
his  wife,  the  veiled  lady  whom  I  had  once  had  pointed  out 
to  me  in  the  bazaar. 

Palok  had  told  me  that  Pietro's  brother  had,  three  months 
ago,  married  the  most  beautiful  girl  in  Skodra,  and  that  he 
and  his  young  wife  lived  at  Pietro's  house.  A  bold  thing 
then  occurred  to  me — to  beg  permission  to  photograph  them. 

I  knew  well  that  these  people  were  averse  to  having  their 
photographs  taken ;  nevertheless  I  very  discreetly  broached 
the  subject  one  day  when  sipping  coffee  with  Pietro. 

He  gave  me  no  decided  answer.  Indeed,  he  declared 
himself  ready  in  any  way  to  serve  me,  but  as  to  photographing 
his  women-kind — well,  it  was  against  all  custom.  What 
would  his  friends  say  if  they  knew  ? 

I  dropped  the  subject,  rather  crestfallen.  I  wanted  to  be 
invited  to  his  house  and  to  meet  his  wife  and  sister-in-law,  both 
of  whom  were  declared  to  be  very  beautiful.  Yet  he  seemed 
in  no  way  inclined  to  so  far  extend  his  hospitality.  I  spoke 
to  Palok  and  urged  him  to  use  his  power  of  persuasion,  with 
the  result  that  two  days  later  I  received  an  invitation  from 
Pietro  to  call  upon  him  at  his  house  at  three  o'clock  to  take 
coffee,  and  further,  he  added — 

"  If  you  really  wish  to  bring  your  camera,  you  may.  I 
have  spoken  to  my  brother,  and  he  will  let  you  take  a  picture 
of  his  wife,  providing  you  give  your  undertaking  not  to  make 
any  copies  for  sale,  or  to  show  it  here  to  people  in  Skodra." 

I  willingly  gave  the  undertaking,  and  at  the  appointed 
hour,  accompanied  by  Palok,  we  rang  at  the  big  gate  in  a 
high  white,  prison-like  wall  that  enclosed  my  friend's  dwelling, 
and  were  admitted  into  the  garden,  in  the  centre  of  which 
stood  a  great  square  house. 


6o  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Piotro  came,  forward  to  greet  me,  a  picturesque  figure  in 
his  Scutarino  dross,  the  flat  fez  with  big  tassel,  the  embroidered 
coat,  baggy  trousers,  aud  white  stockings.  The  ground  floor 
was  devoted  to  stables,  but  above  we  found  ourselves  in  a 
largo  square  apartinont  with  divans.  Upon  the  floor  were 
beautiful  luistcrn  rugs.  On  one  side  was  the  big,  gaudily 
painted  dowry-chest,  and  here  and  there  small  low  tables. 
The  room,  with  its  heavy  hangings,  was  very  cosy,  and  over 
everytiiing  was  the  sweet  odour  of  otto-of-rose.  In  one 
corner  was  a  great  brass  brazier,  and  upon  a  chiffonier  were 
a  few  European  knick-knacks,  evidently  household  treasures. 
The  only  picture  on  the  wall  was  a  small  oleograph  of  the 
Madonna. 

A  rush-bottomed  chair  was  produced  for  me,  while  Pietro 
and  Palok  squatted  cross-legged  upon  the  divans.  Then  the 
servant  was  sent  to  inform  the  ladies  of  our  arrival. 

Presently  both  wife  and  sister-in-law  entered,  gorgeous 
in  silk  and  gold,  the  most  striking  costumes  I  have  ever  seen 
off  the  stage.  White  gauze  veils  were  wrapped  about  their 
heads  and  corsage,  leaving  only  their  eyes  visible ;  and  thus 
attired  they  saluted  me  and,  with  Pietro  acting  as  interpreter, 
welcomed  me. 

Afterwards  they  retired,  and  at  Pietro's  order  reappeared 
without  their  veils.  The  younger  woman  was  indeed  lovely, 
with  a  fair  white  skin,  beautiful  soft  lines  of  beauty,  magnificent 
black  eyes,  and  lips  that  puckered  into  a  sweet,  modest  smile 
when  I  involuntarily  expressed  my  surprise  at  her  marvellous 
good  looks.  I  had  heard  that  Albanian  ladies  were  beautiful, 
but  I  certainly  never  expected  to  be  presented  to  such  a  type 
of  feminine  loveliness. 

Over  her  bare  chest  hung  strings  of  great  gold  coins,  while 
across  her  brow  were  rows  of  sequins.  Her  richly  embroidered 
dress,  the  jewels  in  her  ears,  the  bangles  upon  her  arms,  all 
enhanced  her  great  personal  beauty,  while  she  stood  before 
me,  her  face  downcast  in  modesty — for  except  her  husband 
and  his  brother  no  man  had  ever  beheld  her  unveiled. 

At  that  moment  her  husband  entered,  and  I  congratulated 
him  upon  the  possession  of  such  a  beautiful  wife.     Then  we 


THE  LAWLESS  LAND  6i 

all  laughed  together,  and  descended  to  the  garden,  where  I 
was  allowed  to  take  photographs  of  her,  veiled  and  unveiled, 
as  well  as  of  Pietro's  wife,  who  was,  of  course,  much  her  senior, 
and  who,  although  she  had  lost  her  youthful  beauty,  was  still 
very  charming. 

Returning  again  to  the  upstairs  salon,  we  all  sat  round, 
while  the  newly-married  beauty  brought  us  first  lemonade, 
then  delicious  Turkish  coffee  in  tiny  round  cups  upon  a  great 
gilt  tray,  followed  by  rakhi,  that  spirit  so  dear  to  the  Turkish 
palate,  and  afterwards  real  rahat-lakoum,  or  Turkish  delight. 

Then,  after  an  interval,  veiled  again  once  more,  the  beautiful 
young  woman  brought  me  a  cigarette  and  lit  it  for  me, 
afterwards  wishing  me  adieu  and  modestly  retiring. 

All  was  done  with  such  perfect  grace  and  modesty  as  to 
create  a  most  charming  experience.  It  was,  to  say  the  least, 
novel,  to  sit  there  with  those  squatting  Albanians  and  be 
waited  upon  by  the  prettiest  girl  in  Skodra. 

Pietro  told  me  that  newspapers  and  books  being  forbidden, 
anyone  found  in  possession  of  them  was  at  once  arrested. 
He,  however,  gave  me  surreptitiously  a  copy  of  the  Rome 
Trihuna,  which  had  been  smuggled  in  a  day  or  two  before; 
and  it  was  welcome,  being  the  first  newspaper  I  had  had  for 
several  weeks. 

Truly  Skodra  is  a  strange  place.  I  had  occasion  to  go  to 
the  Turkish  post  office  one  day.  It  was,  I  found,  a  wooden 
shed.  Inside  was  a  low,  filthy  truclde  bed,  a  small  table — at 
which  sat  a  consumptive  youth  in  a  fez — a  broken  chair  and 
a  large  iron  safe,  the  door  being  secured  by  a  piece  of  string 
being  tied  about  it ! 

Of  drainage  there  is  none.  Sewage  runs  down  the  centre 
of  most  of  the  streets,  especially  in  the  bazaar,  and  its  odour 
is  the  reverse  of  pleasant  on  a  sunny  day.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood of  butchers  and  slaughterers  the  gutters  run  with  blood, 
which  the  dogs  lap  and  enjoy,  and  near  the  stalls  of  fruiterers 
and  vegetable-sellers  the  piles  of  refuse  rot  in  the  sun  and 
decay. 

Yet  everywhere,  both  in  the  streets  of  the  Mohammedan 
quarter  and  in  those  of  the  Christians,  are  interesting  sights 


62  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

at  c\oiv  till  a.  When  night  falls  the  place  is  dark  and] 
mysterious,  for  there  are  no  lights  save  that  issuing  from] 
the  chinks  of  a  door  or  from  the  windows  of  a  barber  or 
coffec-scllor.  Through  the  windows  of  a  mosque,  perhaps,! 
can  bo  seen  the  swaying  figures  of  Turks  at  prayer,  faint  inj 
the  dim  oil  lights,  while  in  the  blackness  of  the  street  the! 
patrol  passes,  a  dozen  Turkish  soldiers  with  loaded  rifles,! 
headed  by  one  man  carrying  a  lantern.  The  place  is  insecure] 
after  nightfall,  even  to  the  Scutarines  themselves,  therefore] 
nobody  ventures  out,  and  by  nine  o'clock  every  house  is] 
bolted  and  barred. 

At  that  hour,  it  being  Ramadan,  the  Turk  was  feasting] 
and  taking  his  ease,  while  opposite  the  han  where  I  lived  a' 
Turkish  soldier  would  come  nightly  and  sing  weird  prayers 
under  the  window  of  the  Governor  of  the  vilayet,  that  per- 
fectly useless  official,  whose  authority  extends  only  to  the 
confines  of  the  town  itself,  and  who  fears  to  exercise  it  lest 
he  should  rouse  the  slumbering  ire  of  those  fierce  tribes  who 
live  in  the  Accursed  Mountains  above. 

Many  strange  sights  I  witnessed  and  many  strange  things 
I  heard  in  Skodra. 

Men,  fierce  mountaineers  who,  in  some  cases,  bore  across 
their  countenances  marks  of  sword  or  gun-shot  wounds,  told 
me  their  stories — exciting  narratives  of  love,  war,  and  the 
blood-feud.  All  were  Albanians,  and  believed  Skodra  to  be 
the  finest  capital  in  the  world.  England,  because  it  carried 
on  no  political  intrigue  among  them,  like  Austria  and  Italy, 
they  did  not  regard  as  a  Power.  Mine  was  a  country  far 
away,  I  was  told,  and  therefore  perfectly  harmless.  Hardly 
anybody  had  heard  of  London.  Those  who  had,  declared  that 
it  could  not  be  so  large  or  so  beautiful  as  Skodra. 

The  days  I  spent  there  were  with  the  one  object  of  obtain- 
ing, by  some  means,  permission  from  one  or  other  of  the 
mountain  chieftains  to  allow  me  to  travel  in  the  country. 

Palok  had  promised  to  endeavour  to  arrange  it  for  me, 
and  so  had  Pietro,  but  by  their  manner  I  saw  that  they  con- 
sidered any  such  attempt  a  piece  of  sheer  folly,  and  far  too 
hazardous.     Tlicy  were  too  polite  to  tell  me  so,  but  I  read 


THE  LAWLESS  LAND  63 

in  their  faces  that  they  did  not  intend  me  to  go,  if  it  were 
possible  to  prevent  me. 

Therefore  surreptitiously  I  had  recourse  to  my  faithful 
friend  of  the  bazaar,  Salko,  himself  a  member  of  the  fierce 
tribe  of  the  Skreli,  who  had  more  than  once  terrorised  the 
town.  When,  through  an  interpreter,  I  one  evening  explained 
my  desire,  he  rubbed  his  chin  doubtfully  and  wagged  his  head. 
He  would  do  his  best,  but  it  was  dangerous — very  dangerous, 
he  declared. 

And  yet,  he  went  on,  the  thing  might  perhaps  be  managed. 
An  Albanian  of  the  mountains,  though  he  might  be  a  brigand 
and  annoyed  the  Turks,  and  though  he  might  shoot  Turkish 
soldiers  like  dogs  wherever  met,  was  nevertheless  a  man  of 
his  word.  If  I  was  promised  safe  escort,  then  I  might  go 
into  the  mountains  without  even  my  revolver,  for  no  harm 
would  come  to  me. 

Yes;  he  would  promise  to  see  what  he  could  do.  But 
it  was  difficult,  and  it  would  take  time.  In  the  mountains 
they  had  no  great  love  of  foreigners. 

To  the  coming  Feast  of  the  Madonna  many  men  from 
the  mountains  would  arrive,  and  there  would  be  opportunity 
to  speak  with  them.  No ;  he  would  say  nothing  to  Palok — 
if  I  so  wished.     Therefore  I  waited,  and  hoped. 

Now  the  celebrated  Madonna  of  Loretto  was,  before  the 
Turkish  occupation  of  Skodra,  at  the  little  ruined  church 
near  the  Boyana  River,  and  even  now  down  to  the  annual  fest^ 
come  representatives  of  all  the  various  tribes,  men  and  women, 
from  sometimes  a  week's  journey  distant,  filling  the  streets 
with  a  perfect  panorama  of  colour  and  costume. 

The  Feast  of  the  Madonna  is  indeed  the  day  to  see  Skodra 
at  her  best. 

You  may  travel  the  whole  of  Europe,  from  the  Channel  to 
the  Urals,  or  from  the  White  Sea  to  the  Bosphorus,  and  you 
will  never  see  such  a  variety  of  types  and  of  costume  as  during 
the  two  days  of  that  feast. 

That  clear  sunny  morning  the  whole  town  was  agog.  The 
Christians  had  it  to  themselves,  for  while  they  feasted  the 
Mohammedans    fasted.     The    two    peoples    keep    distinctly 


64  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

apart  during  religious  festivals,  and  Turkish  soldiers,  their 
blue  uniforms  green  with  age,  greasy  at  the  collar,  and  often 
shoeless,  patrol  the  town,  ready  to  fire  on  the  people  at  the 
least  provocation.  At  least,  so  they  say.  If,  however,  they 
did  fire,  then  woe-betide  them!  Every  man  goes  armed  in 
Skodra.  and  the  garrison  would  certainly  be  wiped  out  were 
the  alarm  once  given  to  those  wild  fellows  up  in  the  mountains. 

All  is  orderly,  however  — all  brilliant.  The  streets  are 
full  of  Christians  from  the  country,  the  men  tall,  thin-legged 
fellows,  with  black-and-white  striped  trousers  and  black 
furry  bolero,  carrying  loaded  rifles  upon  their  shoulders  ;  and 
the  women  in  the  various  gay  costumes  of  the  tribes,  each 
wearing  profusions  of  gold  coins  strung  across  their  breasts, 
heavy  gold  earrings,  and  the  younger  married  ones  with 
dozens  of  gaudy  silk  handkerchiefs  suspended  round  their 
heavy  brass  or  iron  studded  girdles,  presents  to  them  on  their 
recent  marriage.  Most  of  the  katunnare  (peasant-women 
from  the  plains)  are  dressed  in  a  short  black  homespun  skirt 
and  bodice  combined,  reaching  to  the  knees  and  embroidered 
with  red.  Around  the  waist  is  a  heavy  hide  belt  about  five 
inches  broad,  studded  with  iron,  and  with  two  big  polished 
cornelians  to  form  the  buckle.  Some  are  of  antique  silver  of 
beautiful  workmanship,  and  others,  more  modern,  are  gilt. 
These  women  wear  nothing  on  their  heads,  but  the  gaily- 
dressed  malzore  (women  of  the  mountains)  wear  a  bright  silk 
handkerchief  arranged  very  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
women  around  Naples.  The  malzore  are  extremely  good- 
looking,  and  all  carry  a  small  embroidered  sack  over  their 
shoulder,  for  in  Skodra  on  the  night  prior  to  the  Festh  of  the 
Madonna  every  Christian  house  is  open  to  receive  visitors 
and  give  them  food  and  shelter,  whoever  they  may  be.  So 
these  little  sacks  contain  humble  presents  to  the  hosts. 

Pietro  met  me  in  the  street  as  I  was  going  to  the  Cathedral, 
and  told  me  that  on  the  previous  night  he  had  given  food  and 
beds  to  twenty-eight  mountaineers  of  both  sexes.  Albanian 
hospitality  is  certainly  unbounded. 

As  I  strolled  through  the  narrow  lanes  of  the  Christian 
quarter  towards  the  Cathedral,  and  the  gaily-dressed  chattering 


The   Madonna  of  Skodra. 


The   Procession  with  an  Armed  Guard. 


THE  LAWLESS  LAND  65 

women  in  groups  hurried  forward  to  get  a  place  within,  I  was 
struck  with  their  neat  and  clean  appearance.  Their  finery 
was  in  no  way  dingy  or  dusty,  and  yet  many  of  them  had  been 
a  whole  week  on  a  journey  through  perhaps  the  roughest 
region  in  the  whole  East. 

How  different  was  the  festd  to  that  I  had  known  in  the 
Italian  towns  ! 

About  the  Cathedral  there  is  nothing  unusually  attractive 
— a  big  bare  edifice  with  high  square  campanile  in  modern 
Italian  style.  It  stands  in  the  centre  of  an  open  space,  sur- 
rounded by  great  high,  fortress-like  walls,  entered  by  a  strong 
gate  with  huge  iron  bars — significant  that  one  day  ere  long 
it  will  be  held  against  the  Turks.  No  Mohammedan  ever 
passes  those  gates.  Even  the  military  patrol  lounge  outside, 
leaning  on  their  rifles. 

Within  the  enclosure  I  found  a  great  crowd  of  peasant 
women;  females  of  the  town,  veiled  with  gauze  so  fine  that 
one  could  almost  see  their  faces ;  Scutarine  men  in  their  best 
jackets  and  baggy  trousers ;  and  the  swaggering,  white-capped 
warriors  from  the  mountains,  men  of  the  Miriditi, — so  dreaded 
by  the  Turks  that  they  are  allowed  to  carry  their  rifles  with 
them, — of  the  fierce  Skreli,  the  Hoti,  and  the  Kastrati. 

The  Skreli,  with  the  Miriditi,  are  allowed  to  carry  their 
rifles  because  the  Turks  hold  them  in  fear.  The  authorities 
know  full  well  that  to  arouse  their  ire  would  be  to  bring  de- 
struction upon  the  whole  vilayet,  for  they  hold  the  communica- 
tions, and  if  the  tribes  revolted,  as  they  no  doubt  would,  then 
the  army  of  the  Sultan  would  have  a  very  hard  task  to  suppress 
the  rebellion. 

So  while  the  Kastrati  and  the  Hoti — also  dwellers  in  the 
Mountains  of  the  Accursed — the  Klementi,  the  Shiala  of  the 
foot-hills,  and  the  others  are  compelled  to  leave  their  rifles 
at  the  entrance  to  the  town,  the  Skreli  and  the  Miriditi  stalk 
along  in  armed  bands  of  twenty  or  thirty  through  the  streets 
to  the  church,  grinning  defiance  at  the  Turks,  who  are  supposed 
by  Europe  to  be  their  masters. 

Under  the  trees  around  the  Cathedral  the  wild,  fierce  men, 
who  would  hold  the  traveller  to  ransom  or  shoot  him  with 
5 


66  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

less  compunction  than  they  would  kill  a  shepherd-dog,  were 
squatting  in  rings  with  their  rifles  before  them,  gossiping. 
Every  man  wore  a  belt  full  of  cartridges  and  a  bandoHer 
across  his  shoulders — sometimes  even  two.  War  and  religion 
are  strangely  mixed  in  Skodra. 

Into  the  dimly-lit  Cathedral  I  managed  to  squeeze,  and 
there,  kneeling  on  the  stones  and  filling  the  whole  place  right 
out  into  the  grass  enclosure,  were  men  of  all  grades,  from  the 
peaceful  Scutarine  merchant  to  the  wild  tribesman,  and 
women  with  their  faces  uncovered  bowed  towards  the  brilliantly 
lit  altar,  where  the  thin-faced  Italian  priest  mumbled  the 
prayers. 

The  sight  was  strangely  impressive ;  the  silence  unbroken 
save  for  the  low  voice  of  the  priest  and  now  and  then  the 
clank  of  arms. 

For  two  days  in  the  year,  to  celebrate  the  Christian 
festival,  the  brigand  tribes  from  the  mountains  come  down, 
notwithstanding  that  upon  the  heads  of  many  of  those 
sinister-looking  men  before  me  the  Turks  had  long  ago  set 
a  price.  I  stood  gazing  at  that  kneeling  throng,  to  whom, 
though  devout  and  humble  in  God's  house,  murder  was 
deemed  no  wrong. 

The  service  ended,  a  great  procession  was  formed,  and 
headed  by  four  fine  stalwart  men  of  the  Skreli  with  loaded 
rifles,  made  a  slow  tour  from  the  altar  outside  and  round 
the  enclosure,  while  an  orchestra  in  a  band-stand  opposite 
played  selections.  The  sight  was  curious — those  armed  men 
ready  to  protect  their  priests  in  case  of  sudden  onslaught 
by  the  Turks. 

During  the  whole  morning  I  took  many  photographs,  and 
in  the  afternoon,  when  I  returned,  I  found  the  orchestra 
playing  operatic  music,  which  was  being  listened  to  by  the 
tribesmen  with  marked  attention.  They  are,  I  afterwards 
found,  devoted  to  music.  The  programme  ranged  from 
selections  from  La  Boheme  and  Carmen  to  the  "  Segovia " 
valse  and  our  old  melodious  friend,  "  The  Honeysuckle  and 
the  Bee."  The  latter  air  quickly  became  popular  among  the 
tribesmen,  who  picked  it  up  and  began  at  once  to  whistle  it. 


The   Mirediti  ;     An  Alarm! 


The   Mipediti  at   Ppayer 


THE  LAWLESS  LAND  67 

Slowly  fell  the  mystic  twilight  of  the  East.  The  glorious 
afterglow  had  deepened  into  grey,  and  night  was  creeping 
on  quickly  when  fire  balloons  were  sent  up,  and  then  gradually 
the  whole  Cathedral  became  outlined  in  fairy  lamps  against 
the  steely  sky,  even  to  the  utmost  point  of  the  high  square 
tower.    Men  and  women  gazed  upward,  and  crossed  themselves. 

Later,  while  walking  back  with  Palok,  we  encountered  a 
group  of  armed  tribesmen  talking  excitedly,  shaking  their 
fists,  and  apparently  quarrelling.  Palok  joined  the  crowd, 
and  inquired  what  had  happened.  Then,  turning  to  me,  he 
said — 

"  Oh,  it  is  nothing,  signore.  The  town  of  Kroia  has 
revolted.  The  Turks  sent  soldiers  yesterday,  but  they  were 
Albanians,  and  would  not  fire  on  the  people.  To-day  some 
artillery  arrived,  and  thirty  people  have  been  killed — mostly 
women.  A  man  has  just  ridden  in  with  the  news.  It 
is  nothing.  We  are  always  fighting  the  Turks  at  Kroia. 
There  will  probably  be  a  massacre  to-night."  And  he  deftly 
rolled  a  cigarette  as  he  spat  in  defiance  of  the  hated  Mussulman. 

Later  that  night  I  was  awakened  from  sleep  by  a  shot 
below,  and,  taking  my  revolver,  went  to  the  window.     The 
night  was  black,  and  I  could  discern  nothing. 
'f  i^  I  heard  men's  voices  raised  in  the  street  below,  and  suddenly 
saw  the  red  flash  of  firearms  and  heard  a  second  report. 
^>   j  Then  all  was  quiet,  except  receding  footsteps. 

The  shots  disturbed  nobody,  or  if  they  did,  nobody 
opened  door  or  window.  The  town  was  asleep,  and  by  the 
distant  sound  of  a  tom-tom  I  knew  that  the  hour  was  half-past 
three;  for  the  music  was  calling  upon  the  Faithful  to  eat, 
preparatory  to  the  day's  fast. 

What  had  happened  ?  All  was  silent,  therefore  I  closed 
my  window  and  slept  again. 

In  the  morning  I  was  told  that  it  was  "  nothing."  Two 
men  of  the  Shiala  had  been  found  dead  outside. 

Was  it  the  blood-feud  ?    I  asked. 

Palok  only  raised  his  shoulders  and  exhibited  his  palms. 

"  It  was  nothing,  signore — really  nothing." 


CHAPTER    IV 

IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS 

Vatt  Marashi,  chief  of  the  Skreli  tribe,  invites  me  to  become  his  guest— Our 
start  for  the  Accursed  Mountains — Rok,  our  guide — Independence  of 
the  SkreU— Brigandage  and  the  bessa—A  night  under  a  rock— My 
meeting  with  Vatt  Marashi  and  his  band — The  Skreli  welcome — How 
they  treat  the  Turks— Vatt's  admissions— I  become  the  guest  of  brigands 
— A  chat  in  the  moonlight. 

WHILE  seated  on  the  box  in  Salko's  dark  little  stall  in 
the  bazaar  he  introduced  his  friend  Rok  to  me. 

A  middle-aged  tribesman  in  the  regulation  costume  of 
tight  white  woollen  trousers  heavily  striped  with  black,  black 
bolero  with  deep  woollen  fringe,  and  a  felt  skullcap,  once 
white,  but  now  not  overclean,  he  squatted  opposite  me  and 
touched  chin  and  brow  in  salute.  His  loaded  rifle  lay  before 
him  on  the  ground. 

He  eyed  me  critically  up  and  down,  my  pigskin  gaiters 
apparently  receiving  his  admiration. 

"  Rok,  here,  is  of  the  Skreli,  a  fearless  fighter  of  the  Turks 
and  one  of  my  best  friends,"  Salko  went  on  to  explain.  "  I 
have  told  him  of  your  earnest  desire  to  go  and  see  our  country ; 
that  you  are  neither  Austrian  nor  Italian,  but  English  and 
not  a  spy.  Our  friend  is  returning  to-day,  and  has  promised 
to  speak  to  Vatt  Marashi,  our  chief,  on  your  behalf." 

"  TeU  the  honourable  Englishman  that  if  he  comes  to  us 
he  must  be  prepared  for  a  rough  life.  We  live  in  the  moun- 
tains," Rok  said  through  the  interpreter,  laughing  pleasantly 
as  he  lit  the  cigarette  he  took  from  my  case. 

Coffee  was  brought,  and  we  sealed  our  compact  of  friend- 
liness. 

68 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  69 

If  Vatt  Marashi,  the  renowned  chieftain  who  so  often  held 
travellers  to  ransom,  and  whose  influence  was  so  dreaded  by 
the  Turks,  consented  to  allow  me  to  visit  him,  then  Rok 
would  return,  he  promised,  and  be  my  guide. 

For  half  an  hour  we  chatted  and  smoked.  Then  the  burly 
mountaineer  rose,  slung  his  rifle  over  his  shoulder,  touched 
chin  and  brow  again,  grasped  my  hand  warmly,  and  stalked 
out  on  his  three  days'  tramp  to  the  wild  region  in  the  mountain 
mists  that  was  his  home. 

I  waited  on  in  Skodra,  and,  to  my  great  delight,  he  one 
morning  reappeared  with  a  message  from  his  chief  that,  pro- 
viding I  took  only  Palok,  and  had  no  escort,  he  would  be 
pleased  to  welcome  me  and  show  me  all  the  hospitality  in  his 
power.  I  need  fear  nothing,  it  was  added.  I  was  to  be  guest 
of  Vatt  Marashi,  chief  of  the  Skreli.  He  had  issued  the  order 
to  the  tribe.  Any  who  dared  to  insult  or  injure  me  should 
pay  for  it  with  their  life.  Therefore  I  should  be  given  safe- 
conduct,  and  need  not  have  a  moment's  anxiety. 

By  this,  Palok,  who  had  been  entirely  opposed  to  the 
attempt,  became  reassured,  and  soon  after  noon,  with  a  mule 
packed  with  my  lightest  baggage,  we  set  our  faces  out  across 
the  great  rolling  plain  that  lies  between  the  town  and  the 
high  wall  of  blue  distant  mountains — the  wildest  corner  of  all 
Europe.  They  are  a  series  of  fastnesses,  in  which  any  small 
army  would  at  once  be  massacred  and  where  a  large  one 
would  starve. 

We  were  a  merry  trio  as  we  marched  forward  in  the  bright 
autumn  sunlight,  but  about  a  kilometre  beyond  the  town  the 
road  ended  in  a  ford,  where  we  crossed  a  wide  shallow  river, 
and  then  straight  across  the  plain  and  past  several  tumuli 
to  where  a  defile  showed  in  the  mountains.  The  ancient 
Bridge  of  Messi,  built  under  the  Venetian  dominion,  was 
crossed,  and  then  we  had  our  first  experience  of  the  road  in 
Albania — a  rough,  narrow  way  gradually  ascending,  almost  too 
bad  even  for  mules. 

Nobody  who  has  not  visited  Northern  Albania  can  have  any 
idea  of  the  wildness  of  those  bare  grey  rocks,  of  the  roughness 
of  the  tracks,  or  the  savagery  of  life  there.    Northern  Albania 


70  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

is  to-day  just  as  it  was  under  the  Roman  Empire.  The  might 
of  Rome  has  waned,  the  Servian  has  come  and  gone,  the 
Venetian  has  been  swept  away,  and  the  Turk  is  now  nominally 
master.  But  the  country  has  never,  through  all  the  centuries, 
been  annexed,  and  those  wild  tribes,  descendants  of  the  savage 
people  who  inhabited  those  fastnesses  before  the  days  of 
Cireek  dominion,  have  never  been  tamed.  The  Northern 
Albanian  is  the  last  survivor  of  mediaeval  days.  He  has  no 
written  language — indeed,  his  alphabet,  with  its  many  soft 
and  hard  "  ssh  "  sounds,  has  never  yet  been  determined — 
therefore  he  has  no  literature  and  no  newspaper.  Thin,  wiry, 
and  muscular,  he  wears  raw-hide  slippers,  in  which  he  moves 
with  cat-like,  stealthy  tread — a  habit  survived  from  pre- 
historic days — while  his  very  dress  is  protective,  rendering 
him  at  a  short  distance  difficult  to  discern,  so  like  is  he  in 
colour  to  the  rocky  background.  He  looks  as  though  he  had 
just  stepped  down  from  a  mediaeval  Florentine  fresco,  with 
his  head  half-shaven,  hair  long  at  the  back  and  cut  square 
across  the  shoulders. 

He  is  entirely  unchanged  ever  since  the  Turk  found  him, 
except  that  of  late  he  has  adopted  the  breech-loading  rifle 
and  a  particularly  heavy  pattern  of  revolver.  The  black 
furry  bolero  which  he  wears,  without  exception,  is  the  sign  of 
mourning  for  his  great  prince,  Skender  Beg,  who  died  in  1467, 
after  being  at  war  with  the  Turks  for  over  twenty  years  ; 
therefore  with  him  fashions  do  not  easily  change,  and  "  latest 
novelties"  in  dress  are  unknown.  Great  are  the  changes  that 
have  come  over  the  world  during  the  past  thousand  years 
or  so,  but  Northern  Albania  has  remained  unaffected  by  them, 
and  is  still  in  a  measure  in  the  lowest  depths  of  barbarism. 
The  Turk  does  not  rule.  The  wild,  inaccessible  country  is 
under  the  various  independent  tribes,  ruled  by  a  chieftain 
according  to  unwritten  laws  which  have  been  handed  down 
orally  from  remote  ages,  and  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most 
independent  of  these  chiefs  was  Vatt  Marashi,  the  man  whose 
guest  I  now  was  to  be. 

Compared  with  the  tribesmen,  the  Albanian  Christian  of 
Skodra  is  a  puny  person.    The  mountaineers  are  a  barbaric. 


-■*^-^ 


-s 


My  road  in    Northern  Albania. 


The  way  to  the  Skreli. 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  71 

lawless  people,  without  any  education  save  the  schools  estab- 
lished by  Italian  and  Austrian  monks  as  part  of  the  political 
propaganda;  for,  truth  to  tell,  both  countries  have  recently 
conceived  the  idea  of  turning  Northern  Albania  to  account 
for  their  own  purposes  on  the  day  of  the  downfall  of  the  Turk. 
Therefore  both  Powers  are  frantically  exerting  every  effort  to 
curry  favour  with  the  people,  a  fact  which  is  glaringly  apparent 
even  to  the  rough,  uneducated  tribesmen  themselves. 

The  Northern  Albanian  may  be  entirely  uneducated  and  a 
barbarian,  but  he  is  at  heart  a  brigand,  and  is  certainly  no  fool. 

My  friend  Rok  was  particularly  intelligent,  and  as  we 
toiled  along  over  those  rough,  rock-strewn  paths  he  gave  me 
much  information  about  his  country,  and  declared  that  both 
Austria  and  Italy  were  equally  their  enemy. 

After  sundown  we  rested  at  a  point  high  up  above  a  dark 
gloomy  defile,  where  a  stream  wound  away  towards  the  plain, 
and  there  ate  some  slices  of  cold  mutton  and  black  bread 
with  a  glass  of  rakhi,  our  three  rifles  lying  at  hand  in  case  of 
sudden  emergency. 

I  had  noticed  the  queer,  sinuous,  almost  uncanny  way  in 
which  Rok  walked.  His  movements,  at  even  pace  whatever 
might  be  the  state  of  the  path,  were  stealthy.  Indeed,  he 
almost  crept  along,  for  his  feet  fell  in  silence,  and  with  his 
rifle  ever  ready,  his  keen  black  eyes  were  searching  on  every 
side  for  the  enemy  which  he  appeared  to  expect  to  meet  at 
every  turn. 

Sometimes  as  he  walked  in  front  he  would  halt,  and  closely 
scan  a  mass  of  tumbled  rocks,  as  though  he  had  suspicion  of 
a  lurking  enemy,  then  thoroughly  satisfying  himself,  he  would 
go  forward  again  without  glancing  back.  He  was  certain 
that  no  enemy  was  in  his  rear. 

From  his  movements  and  natural  caution  I  could  plainly 
see  that  we  were  traversing  a  country  not  altogether  friendly, 
and  when,  as  we  sat  over  our  evening  meal,  I  asked  Palok, 
his  reply  was — 

"  The  Shiala  are  not  on  very  friendly  terms  with  the 
Skreli  just  now.     But  it  is  nothing,  signore — nothing." 

We  went  forward  until  darkness  closed  in,  and  then  lay 


73  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

down  to  sleep  under  an  overhanging  rock  almost  on  the  face  of 
a  sheer  precipice,  a  place  in  which  Rok  told  us  he  often  stayed 
on  his  way  down  to  Skodra.  He  humorously  called  it  his 
fuin,  or  hotel. 

To  light  a  fire  would  be  to  attract  hostile  attention,  and 
the  cold  up  there  was  intense.  I  tried  to  sleep,  but  was  unable, 
therefore  I  rose  and  sat  outside  in  the  bright,  glorious  moon- 
light and  kept  watch,  while  Rok  curled  himself  up  like  a  dog 
and  snored  soundly  in  chorus  with  Palok. 

There,  in  the  East,  the  full  moon  seems  to  shine  with 
greater  brilliance  than  in  Europe,  and  beneath  its  white  rays 
those  bare,  rugged  mountains  looked  Hke  a  veritable  fairy- 
land. Only  the  cry  of  a  night-bird  and  the  low  music  of  the 
stream  far  below  broke  the  stillness  of  the  Oriental  night, 
and  as  I  sat  there  I  reflected  that  I  was  the  first  Englishman 
who  had  ever  been  the  guest  of  the  redoubtable  chieftain, 
Vatt  Marashi,  the  man  whom  the  Turks  so  hate — the  man  of 
whom  blood-curdling  tales  had  been  told  me  both  in  Monte- 
negro and  in  Skodra,  and  whose  fame  as  a  leader  of  a  wild 
band  had  not  long  before  been  proclaimed  by  the  London 
newspapers. 

For  hours  I  sat  thinking,  sometimes  of  my  good  fortune, 
at  others  of  my  perilous  position  alone  in  the  hands  of  such  a 
people.  But  I  had  heard  that,  notwithstanding  their  bar- 
baric customs,  an  Albanian's  word  was  his  bond.  Therefore 
I  reassured  myself  that  I  should  not  be  the  victim  of  treachery, 
and  reported  to  Constantinople  as  "  missing." 

Slowly  at  last  the  moon  paled,  and  I  grew  sleepy.  That 
terrible  road  had  worn  me  out.  Therefore  I  woke  Palok  to 
mount  guard,  and  flung  myself  down  in  his  place  and  slept 
till  the  sun,  shining  in  my  face,  awakened  me. 

Through  the  whole  day  we  went  forward  again,  over  a 
path  so  bad  that  I  often  had  to  scramble  with  difficulty.  I 
tried  to  ride  the  mule,  but  it  was  out  of  the  question,  so  I 
walked  and  stumbled  and  was  helped  over  the  rough  boulders 
by  my  companions.  The  Skreli  country  was  surely  an  un- 
approachable region. 

That  night  we  slept  again  in  the  open,  but  in  a  spot  less 


1 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  73 

sheltered.  Then  forward  again  with  the  first  grey  of  dawn 
until,  just  before  noon,  Rok  halted  in  the  narrow  track  which 
wound  round  the  face  of  the  bare  grey  mountain,  and,  drawing 
his  revolver,  fired  three  times  in  the  air. 

The  shots  reverberated  in  a  series  of  echoes.  It  was  a 
signal,  and  almost  ere  they  had  died  away  came  three  answering 
shots  from  no  great  distance,  and  I  was  told  that  we  were 
now  in  the  Skreli  region,  and  there  was  nothing  more  to  fear. 

In  Podgoritza,  in  Cettinje,  in  Skodra,  and  in  Djakova  I 
had  heard  terrible  stories  of  this  fighting  race,  and  of  Vatt's 
fierce  hatred  of  the  Turks.  Yet  everyone  had  told  me  that, 
the  chief  having  invited  me,  I  need  have  not  a  moment's 
apprehension  of  my  personal  safety. 

So  I  went  forward,  reassured,  to  meet  my  host. 

Half  an  hour  later  I  came  face  to  face  with  real  brigands — 
brigands  who  looked  like  an  illustration  out  of  a  boy's  story- 
book— the  men  who  had  so  often  held  up  travellers  and  com- 
pelled the  Turkish  Government  to  pay  heavy  ransoms. 

They  were  about  twenty,  certainly  the  fiercest  and  most 
bloodthirsty  gang  I  have  ever  set  my  eyes  upon.  Dressed 
in  the  usual  skin-tight  white  woollen  trousers  with  broad 
black  bands  running  down  the  legs,  a  short  white  jacket,  also 
black-braided,  the  sleeveless  woolly  bolero  of  mourning,  hide 
shoes  with  uppers  consisting  of  a  network  of  string,  and 
small  white  skullcaps,  each  man  carried  in  his  belt  a  great 
silver-mounted  pistol  of  antique  type  and  a  silver-sheathed 
curved  knife,  while  around  both  shoulders  were  well-filled 
bandoHers,  and  in  the  hand  of  each  a  rifle.  Like  Rok,  the 
heads  of  all  were  shaved,  leaving  a  long  tuft  at  the  back  in  the 
mediaeval  Florentine  style. 

With  one  accord  they  all  raised  their  rifles  aloft  and  shouted 
me  welcome,  whereupon  one  man  stepped  forward — a  big, 
muscular  fellow  with  handsome  face  and  proud  gait — the  great 
chief  Vatt  Marashi  himself. 

Attired  very  much  as  his  followers,  his  dress  was  richer, 
the  jacket  being  ornamented  with  gold  braid.  The  silver  hilt 
of  his  pistol  was  studded  with  coral  and  green  stones,  probably 
emeralds,  but   he   carried  no  rifle.    Jauntily,  and  laughing 


74  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

merrily,  he  approached  me  and  bent  until  his  forehead  touched 
mine — the  Skivli  sign  of  welcome. 

And  all  this  in  Europe  in  the  twentieth  century  ! 

Was  I  dreaming  ?  Was  it  real  ?  I  was  the  guest  of  actual 
brigands,  those  men  about  whom  I  had  read  in  story-books 
c\'or  since  those  long-ago  days  when  the  weekly  Boys  of 
England  formed  my  chief  literature. 

Vatt  Marashi,  holding  my  hand  the  while,  addressed  me. 
What  he  said  was  interpreted  into  Italian  by  Palok  as — 

"  You  are  welcome  here  to  my  country — very  welcome. 
And  you  are  an  Englishman,  and  have  travelled  so  far  to  see 
us  !  It  is  wonderful — wonderful !  You  live  so  far  away — 
farther  than  Constantinople,  they  say.  Well,  I  cannot  give 
you  much  here  or  make  you  very  comfortable — ^not  so  com- 
fortable as  you  have  been  down  in  Skodra.  But  I  will  do  my 
best.     Come — let  us  eat." 

I  returned  his  greeting,  whereupon  the  whole  crowd  of  us 
walked  along  to  a  spot  where  a  cauldron  was  standing  upon 
a  wood  fire,  and  out  of  it  my  host,  myself,  and  Palok  had 
pieces  of  boiled  chicken  and  rice,  which  had  specially  been 
prepared  for  my  coming. 

The  object  of  this  meal,  I  afterwards  learnt,  was  to  cement 
our  friendship.  The  Albanian  code  of  honour  is  astounding, 
even  to  our  Western  ideas.  A  word  once  given  by  those 
savage  tribes  is  never  broken,  and  if  the  stranger  eats  the 
food  of  the  Skreli,  even  though  he  may  be  an  enemy,  his 
person  is  sacred  for  twenty-four  hours  afterwards.  While 
the  food  remains  undigested  he  may  not  be  injured  or  captiured. 

And  so  while  I  ate  with  this  wild  chieftain,  his  band  squatted 
round,  apparently  discussing  me. 

It  was  probably  the  first  time  they  had  seen  an  English- 
man, Palok  explained,  and  they  were  at  first  inclined  to  regard 
me  as  a  secret  agent  of  the  Government,  until  later  that 
afternoon  their  chief  assured  them  to  the  contrary. 

Then  that  wild  horde  became,  to  a  man,  my  devoted 
servants. 

Vatt,  the  Baryaktar  (from  the  Turkish  bairakdar,  or 
standard-bearer),  unlike  most  Albanians,  is  fair-haired,  above 


Vatt    Marashi,    Chief   of    the    Skreli    tribe. 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  75 

the  average  height,  extremely  muscular,  with  a  constant 
smile  of  hearty  good-fellowship.  His  eyes  are  fierce  and 
barbaric ;  nevertheless  he  is  pleasant  of  countenance,  and  I 
certainly  found  him,  from  first  to  last,  a  staunch  and  excellent 
friend. 

Lord  of  those  wild,  rugged  mountains,  his  word  was  obeyed 
with  a  precision  that  amazed  me.  A  striking  figure  he  pre- 
sented as,  with  me,  he  marched  at  head  of  his  bodyguard, 
his  chest  thrown  out  proudly,  his  head  up,  his  keen  eyes  ever 
searching  forward  like  every  Albanian  of  the  hills,  one  of  the 
wildest  rulers  of  wildest  Europe. 

On  every  side,  as  we  went  forward  to  the  tiny  cluster  of 
little  houses  that  formed  the  village  where  I  was  to  be  quar- 
tered, were  bare  grey  limestone  rocks  without  a  single  blade 
of  grass,  a  desolate  mountain  region  into  which  no  foreigner 
had  penetrated  save  when  captured  and  held  to  ransom. 
Through  centuries  have  that  same  tribe  ruled  that  barren 
land,  and  no  conqueror  of  Albania  has  ever  succeeded  in 
ousting  them. 

"  You  have,  no  doubt,  heard  down  in  Skodra  terrible 
things  about  me,"  he  said,  laughing,  as,  later  on,  we  walked 
together.  He  had  rolled  me  a  cigarette  and  given  it  to  me 
unstuck.     "  I  expect  you  feared  to  come  and  see  me — eh  ?  " 

I  admitted  that  I  had  heard  things  of  him  not  altogether 
satisfactory. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  laughed,  "  that  is  because  the  Turks  do  not 
like  us.  Whenever  a  Turkish  soldier  puts  his  foot  a  kilometre 
outside  Skodra,  we  either  take  away  his  Mauser  and  send 
him  back,  or  else — well,  we  shoot  him  first." 

"  But  they  say  that  your  men  capture  travellers." 

"  And  why  not  ?  "  he  asked.  "  We  are  Christians.  Is  it 
not  permissible  for  us  to  do  everything  to  annoy  those  devils 
of  Turks  ?  But,"  he  added,  "  if  they  say  that  I  treat  my 
prisoners  badly,  they  lie.  Why,  they  get  plenty  of  food  and 
are  well  treated.  I  give  them  some  shooting  if  they  like — 
and  they  generally  enjoy  themselves.  But  I  know.  I  too 
have  been  told  that  the  Turks  say  I  once  cut  off  a  man's  ears. 
Bah  !  all  Turks  are  liars." 


76  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  Then  it  is  only  to  annoy  the  Turks  that  your  men  commit 
acts  of  brigandage  ?  " 

"  Of  course.  The  ransom  is  useful  to  us,  I  admit,  but  we 
live  by  our  flocks,  and  our  wants  are  few.  We  are  not  like 
the  people  down  in  Skodra.     We  are  better,  I  hope." 

"  And  do  you  always  watch  the  roads  on  the  other  side  of 
tlie  mountains  yonder  ?  " 

"  Always.  Our  men  are  there  now,  all  along  the  route 
between  Ipek  and  Prisrend.  Who  knows  who  may  not  pass 
along— a  rich  Pasha  perhaps."  And  his  face  relaxed  into  a 
humorous  smile  at  thought  of  such  a  prize. 

And  then  I  marched  along,  my  rifle  over  my  shoulder — a 
brigand  for  the  nonce  like  my  host. 

Surely  it  was  one  of  the  quaintest  experiences  of  a  varied 
and  adventurous  life. 

The  tiny  house  in  which  I  was  given  quarters  had  an 
earthen  floor  and  consisted  of  two  rooms,  the  ceilings  and 
walls  of  which  were  blackened  by  the  smoke  of  years.  The 
owner  was  an  old  man  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  the  latter 
being  a  pretty  young  woman  of  about  nineteen,  dressed  in 
the  gorgeous  gala  costume  with  golden  sequins,  the  same  that 
I  had  seen  down  at  Skodra  during  the  festa.  She  had  on 
her  best  in  my  honour,  I  suppose,  and  her  husband,  a  good- 
looking  young  fellow  five  years  her  senior,  seemed  justly  proud 
of  her.  His  name  was  LOk.  I  named  him  Lucky,  but  he  did 
not  appreciate  the  wit.  He  was,  I  found,  one  of  the  chief's 
bodyguard  who  had  come  to  greet  me  at  the  confines  of  the 
Skreli  territory,  and  proved  a  most  sociable  fellow,  ever  ready 
to  render  me  a  service. 

"  These  good  people  will  look  after  you  and  make  you  as 
comfortable  as  they  can,"  my  host  said,  when  he  had  intro- 
duced me  to  them.  "  I  have  to  go  along  the  ravine,  but  will 
return  in  time  to  eat  with  you  this  evening.  You  like  good 
cigarettes  ?  I  will  send  you  some."  And  he  shook  my  hands, 
and  turning,  went  out,  stalking  again  at  the  head  of  his 
ferocious-looking  band. 

The  bedroom,  occupied  in  common  by  the  family,  was 
given  over  to  me.     My  bed  on  the  floor  was  a  big  sack  filled 


The  Skreli   at   Home. 


An  Albanian  Village. 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  77 

with  dried  maize-leaves.  It  was  not  inviting,  but  Palok, 
having  examined  it  critically,  declared  it  to  be  "  cost  cost," 
and  having  slept  out  a  couple  of  nights,  I  was  compelled  to 
accept  his  verdict. 

The  girl  in  the  sequins  boiled  us  coffee  over  the  fire, 
and  with  her  father  and  husband  I  sat  outside  the  house  in 
the  golden  sunset,  smoking  and  chatting.  Both  were  full  of 
curiosity.  England  was  to  them  a  mere  legendary  land,  and 
they  had  never  heard  of  London.  When  I  mentioned  it  they 
declared  that  it  could  not  possibly  be  so  large  as  Skodra. 

I  told  them  of  Cettinje  and  other  towns  in  Montenegro  I 
had  visited,  but  they  held  all  Montenegro  in  contempt,  for 
were  they  not  always  raiding  over  the  frontier  ?  Ltik  declared 
that  he  had  walked  in  Podgoritza  openly,  and  in  the  market- 
place shot  a  man  with  whom  he  was  in  gyak,  or  blood-feud. 

"  I  walked  out  again,  and  no  one  dared  to  stop  me,"  he 
added,  with  pride.  "  It  would  have  been  worse  for  them  if 
they  had." 

"  But  the  Montenegrins  are  no  cowards,"  I  ventured  to 
remark. 

"  Certainly  not.  They  are  very  brave,  but  they  dare  not 
foUow  us  here.  They  always  get  lost  in  the  mountains,  and 
once  they  lose  their  way  they  lose  their  lives,"  he  added,  with 
a  grin.  "  Our  men  killed  four  over  yonder  mountain  a  few 
days  ago." 

"  The  blood-feud  ?  " 

i'  Of  course.     It  arose  out  of  that." 

From  the  half-dozen  other  poor  mountain  homes  came 
forth  men,  women,  and  children,  who  grouped  around  us, 
watching  in  curiosity.  According  to  Palok,  rumour  had  at 
first  gone  round  that  I  was  a  prisoner,  therefore  they  had 
refrained  from  coming  forth  to  see  me.  Now,  however,  they 
knew  the  truth,  they  welcomed  me  as  their  guest. 

Just  before  it  grew  dark  the  Baryaktar  returned,  followed 
by  the  bodyguard,  without  whom  he  never  seemed  to  move. 
They  did  his  bidding,  executed  his  orders,  and  were  ever  at 
his  beck  and  call — the  picked  men  of  the  tribe. 

While  Vatt  squatted  on  the  floor  I  sat  upon  my  suit-case, 


78  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

and  together  we  ate  a  kind  of  mutton  stew,  rather  rich,  but 
not  unpalatable.  There  was  an  absence  of  table  cutlery, 
therefore  we  ate  with  the  aid  of  our  pocket-knives  and  lingers. 
Now  and  then  the  old  woman  would  pick  a  tit-bit  out  of  the 
pot  and  hand  it  to  me  with  her  lingers.  I  was  compelled  to 
accept  the  well-meant  hospitality,  even  though  her  hands 
were  not  particularly  clean. 

The  hot  dish  was  tasty,  but  I  could  not  manage  the 
sour  black  bread,  for  it  was  mouldy,  and  gritty  into  the 
bargain. 

It  was  a  weird  picture,  the  interior  of  that  lowly  hut,  lit 
by  the  dim  oil  lamp  of  almost  the  same  type  as  used  by  the 
early  Greeks.  The  uncertain  firelight  glinted  upon  the  gold 
of  the  dresses  of  the  chieftain  and  of  Ldk's  pretty  wife,  and 
threw,  now  and  then,  into  rehef  those  strangely  unfamiliar 
faces,  the  barbarians  of  an  age  bygone  and  forgotten.  The 
very  language  they  were  speaking  was,  as  an  unwritten  one, 
utterly  incomprehensible  and  unintelligible  to  any  but  the 
bom  Albanian. 

I  rubbed  my  eyes — on  account  of  the  smoke — wondering 
if  it  were  really  only  a  very  few  weeks  ago  that  I  had  driven 
a  motor  from  London  down  to  Windsor,  that  I  had  seen 
The  Catch  of  the  Season,  and  trod  the  red  carpet  of  the 
Savoy  afterwards. 

And  to-night  I  was  actually  having  supper  with  real  live 
brigands  of  the  mountains  ! 

Luk  produced  a  bottle  of  rakhi,  and  Vatt  Marashi  lifted  his 
tin  mug  to  me.  I  took  a  little  of  the  potent  spirit  in  the 
bottom  of  my  own  drinking-cup,  and  tossed  it  off.  It  was  not 
half  as  bad  as  I  expected. 

Then  the  chief  took  me  outside  the  house,  and  in  the 
clear  moonlight  we  sat  down  with  Palok  upon  a  big  rock 
to  chat. 

He  rolled  me  a  cigarette  of  most  excellent  Turkish  tobacco 
— of  his  own  growing,  he  told  me — lit  one  himself,  and  we 
sipped  the  coffee  brought  to  us  by  Ltak's  wife. 

The  scene  spread  before  us  was  superb — a  magnificent 
panorama  of  mountains,  some  tipped  with  snow,  white  and 


IN  THE  ACCURSED  MOUNTAINS  79 

brilliant  under  the  moonbeams.     Below  us,  the  valley  was  a 
great  chasm  of  unfathomable  blackness. 

With  my  strange  host  I  chatted  upon  many  subjects,  and 
found  him  far  more  intelligent  than  I  had  believed.  Keen- 
witted, quick  of  perception,  just  in  his  judgment,  and  yet 
filled  with  an  intense  hatred  of  both  Turk  and  Montenegrin 
alike,  he  explained  to  me  many  things  of  great  interest. 

He  told  me  of  the  glorious  traditions  of  his  sturdy  race 
and  of  the  prince  of  the  Skender  Beg  family,  who,  they  hoped, 
would  one  day  come  back  to  rule  them. 

"  We,  the  chieftains,  hold  authority  from  him,"  he  de- 
clared. "  Oh  yes,  he  will  come  some  day.  Of  that  we  are 
quite  certain." 

"  Englishmen  have  never  dared  to  come  here,  have  they  ?  " 
I  asked,  with  some  curiosity. 

"  Only  once — a  year  or  two  ago.  I  discovered  three  of 
your  compatriots  poking  about  in  the  rocks  and  chipping 
little  pieces  off.  I  had  them  captured,  and  brought  to  me. 
At  first  I  thought  I  would  hold  them  to  ransom  and  make 
the  Turks  pay.  But  they  were  evidently  poor  fellows,  for 
their  clothes  were  worn  almost  to  rags,  and  they  had  very 
little  money.  So  I  gave  them  their  money  back  and  sent 
them  with  an  escort  down  to  the  plain,  forbidding  them  to 
enter  our  country  again.  I  wonder  why  they  came,  and  why 
they  were  chipping  the  rocks  ?  " 

I  told  him  that  they  were  evidently  mining  prospectors ; 
that  Englishmen  travelled  all  over  the  world  to  discover 
minerals ;  and  that  a  mine  in  his  country  would  be  a  source  of 
great  wealth.  But  my  explanation  did  not  appeal  to  him. 
He  could  not  see  why  they  were  chipping  off  those  pieces  of 
rock.  It  was  not  flint,  otherwise  they  might  have  wanted 
them  for  gun-locks.  No,  the  trio  were  distinctly  suspicious 
characters,  and  he  was  glad  that  he  had  expelled  them. 

"  Have  you  ever  held  Englishmen  to  ransom  ?  "  I  inquired. 
"  One.     Five  years  ago.     He  came  here  shooting — after 
bears,  I  think.     He  was  evidently  a  great  gentleman,  for  his 
guns  were  beautiful.     The  Turks  paid  promptly." 
"  Because  he  was  an  Englishman — eh  ?  " 


So  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  Most  probably,"  he  laughed.  "  Are  they  afraid  of  you 
English  as  they  are  afraid  of  us  ?  " 

And  soon  afterwards  he  bade  me  good-night,  and  left  me  to 
throw  niyscJf  down  upon  my  mattress  of  leaves  and  listen  to 
the  snoring  of  Palok  and  the  assembled  family  in  the  adjoining 
room. 

I  had  thought  Skodra  barbaric,  but  here  I  was  in  an  utterly 
unknown  corner  of  the  earth,  in  an  absolutely  savage  land — a 
land  that  knows  no  law  and  acknowledges  no  master  ;  a  land 
that  is  the  same  to-day  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Diocletian  and 
of  Constantine  the  Great — Albania  the  Unchanging. 


:!     fi 


CHAPTER    V 
LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND 

The  Skreli  a  lawless  tribe — No  man's  life  safe  unless  the  chief  gives  his  word 
— Vatt  prophesies  a  rising  against  the  Turks — Our  walks  and  talks — 
Our  meeting  with  our  neighbours  the  Kastrati,  and  with  Ded  Presci 
their  chief — A  woman  who  avenged  her  husband's  death — The  significant 
story  of  Kol — Manners  and  customs  of  the  wild  tribes — Farewell  to  my 
good  friend  Ded — An  incident  a  fortnight  later. 

THE  bright  sunny  days  I  remained  with  the  Skreli  were 
full  of  interest. 

On  every  hand,  from  Vatt  himself  down  to  the  humblest 
of  his  tribe,  I  received  only  the  greatest  kindness  and  hospi- 
tality. If  I  went  out  in  Vatt's  absence,  a  dozen  armed  banditti 
followed  me,  mounting  guard  over  me ;  for,  as  they  told  me, 
one  never  knew  what  little  "  accident  "  might  happen.  With 
the  tribes  of  the  Shiala  and  the  Pulati  they  were  not  just  then 
on  particularly  friendly  terms,  and  there  had  been  a  series 
of  sharp  encounters  a  week  ago.  Having  given  their  word  to 
be  responsible  for  my  safety,  it  behoved  them  to  take  pre- 
cautions. 

I  walked  with  Vatt  Marashi  every  day,  making  long  excur- 
sions through  the  mountains  by  the  secret  paths  known  only 
to  the  tribe. 

Would  I  care  for  some  sport  ?  If  I  cared  to  come  next 
year  and  bring  a  friend,  or  even  two,  he  would  let  me  shoot. 
My  friends  would  always  be  welcome,  and  I  could  assure 
them  of  their  safety.  There  was  plenty  of  game,  and  lots  of 
bears,  lynx,  and  wolves.  I  should  tell  my  friends  in  England, 
and  come  back  for  a  month  or  two.  I  promised  that  I  would, 
6 


82  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

for  in  our  walks  I  saw  quantities  of  game.  My  friend  shot 
several  eagles,  but  I  was  not  successful  in  bagging  one. 

As  he  was  stiiJking  at  my  side  one  afternoon,  his  argus 
eyes  everywhere  and  a  cigarette  in  his  mouth,  I  returned  to 
the  subject  of  the  Turks  and  their  "  occupation  "  of  Albania. 

"  Hah  !  "  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sneering  curl  of  the  lip. 
"  Tliey  dare  not  come  here.  We,  with  the  Kastrati,  the 
Hoti,  the  Klemcnti,  the  Pulati,  and  the  Shiala,  are  masters  here. 
We  have  held  the  land  always,  and  shall  hold  it  still.  We 
acknowledge  no  law  except  our  own,  and  pay  no  taxes  to 
anybody.  The  Turks,  when  they  conquered  Northern  Albania, 
thought  they  could  crush  us.  They  tried  to,  but  soon  dis- 
covered their  mistake.  So  ever  since  that  they  have  left  us 
severely  alone,  and  retired  into  Skodra.  They  know  full  well 
that  wlien  we  unite  with  our  brothers,  the  Miriditi,  in  the  south, 
then  Skodra  wUl  be  at  our  mercy." 

"  And  if  the  Sultan  sends  his  soldiers  here  ?  " 

"  Well,  and  what  then  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a  flash  in  his 
eyes.  "  Do  you  think  we  fear  them  ?  Many  of  them  are 
Albanians,  and  would  not  fight  us.  Again,  you  have  experienced 
the  road  here.  What  would  an  army  do  here  ?  We  should 
pick  them  off  as  fast  as  they  came  up.  There  are  forty 
thousand  of  us  Skreli  alone,  remember,  without  all  the  other 
tribes.  If  a  Turkish  army  came  in  here,  depend  upon  it,  it 
would  never  get  out  again." 

"  And  is  there  likely  to  be  a  rising  against  the  Turks  ?  " 
I  inquired,  much  interested. 

"  Why,  of  course.  The  revolt  will  come  one  day  ere  long 
— when  we  are  ready.  We  can,  however,  afford  to  wait  at 
present.  Turkey  will  soon  have  her  hands  full  with  Bulgaria 
and  Macedonia,  and  then — well,  we  shall  help  Bulgaria,  and 
in  a  week  there  won't  be  a  Turk  in  Skodra." 

"  You  mean  there  will  be  a  massacre  ?  " 

For  answer  he  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  And  after  the  revolution  ?  " 

"  After  we  have  driven  out  the  Turk  we  hope  to  obtain 
our  independence  under  either  France  or  some  other  far-off 
country — England,    for    instance.    Austria    and    Italy   are, 


LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND  83 

through  their  priests,  conducting  a  strenuous  propaganda  all 
through  Northern  Albania — so  strenuous  as  to  be  ridiculous. 
They  foolishly  think  that  we  are  like  children,  and  that  we 
do  not  discern  their  ulterior  motives.  Oh,  it  is  very  amusing, 
I  can  tell  you !  We  accept  their  schools  and  their  money,  and 
put  our  fingers  in  our  cheeks,  for  we  don't  intend  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  either  Power  when  the  rising  comes.  We 
wUl  help  Servia  or  Bulgaria,  or  even  Montenegro,  to  drive  the 
Turk  from  Albania,  but  we  will  not  lift  a  finger  for  either 
Italy  or  Austria.  The  secret  agents  of  both  Powers  are  always 
endeavouring  to  penetrate  here  among  us  and  carry  on  their 
propaganda.  But  we  do  not  want  them,  and  will  not  have 
them.    More  than  one  has  of  late — disappeared." 

"  Shot  ?  " 

He  smiled  in  the  afiirmative. 

"  It  is  true,"  he  said,  "  that  we  kill — and  kill  often — for 
the  vendetta — for  espionage — and  in  the  frontier  disputes  with 
Montenegro.  Alas !  we  have  here  but  little  of  the  hessa 
(truce).  But  you  must  remember  we  are  not  like  you  English. 
The  people  have  no  government,  except  myself.  I  make  the 
law,  and  they  obey.  We  are  Christians.  We  believe  in  God 
and  in  the  Virgin,  and  soon  we  will  drive  the  Mohammedan 
fanatics  from  our  land." 

He  spoke  with  an  air  of  conviction,  and,  judging  from 
my  observations  while  I  was  guest  of  his  tribe,  I  believe 
that  when  war  between  Turkey  and  Bulgaria  comes — as  it 
must  come  one  day  before  long — these  wild  people  will  sweep 
down  upon  the  Turks  and  play  frightful  havoc  with  them. 

Skodra  is  often  alarmed,  and  the  people  retire  into  their 
houses  and  bar  their  doors  because  the  tribes  are  believed 
to  be  coming.  One  day  they  will  come,  and  when  they  do 
those  open  drains  in  the  streets  will  run  with  blood.  The 
sign  of  the  cross  upon  the  Christian  houses  is  in  preparation 
for  the  day  of  vengeance. 

My  walks  with  Vatt  Marashi,  though  often  very  fatiguing, 
were  full  of  interest.  He  was  never  tired  of  making  inquiries 
regarding  England  and  England's  power.  Did  the  Sultan 
recognise  England  as  an  independent  state,  and  did  we  send 


S4  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

an  Ambassador  to  the  Sublime  Porte,  like  Austria  and  Germany? 
He  knew  that  England  once  had  a  Vice-Consul  in  Skodra— 
but  he  committed  suicide,  it  was  said,  poor  fellow. 

Nothing  very  extraordinary,  I  remarked  inwardly. 
Doomed  to  live  in  such  an  out-of-the- world  place  as  Skodra 
would  be  sutTicient  to  drive  any  European  to  take  his  life.  Of 
brigandage,  Vatt  Marashi  told  me  that  they  held  up  but 
few  travellers  nowadays,  and  only,  indeed,  when  there  was 
necessity.  Yet  a  year  or  two  ago  they  held  the  worst  reputa- 
tion of  any  of  the  tribes. 

One  day  while  we  were  climbing  the  rocks — for  Vatt  and 
his  bodyguard  thought  that  they  might  get  a  shot  at  a  bear — 
there  was  a  sudden  alarm.  The  hawk's  eyes  of  my  companions 
espied  strangers,  and  a  sudden  halt  was  called.  In  a  moment 
we  were  all  under  cover  of  the  rocks.  Every  man  imslung  his 
rifle,  and  Vatt  himself,  with  knit  brows,  drew  his  big  pistol  with 
silver  butt,  while  I  crouched  behind  a  rock  with  my  rifle  ready, 
expecting  something  to  happen. 

Nothing,  however,  did  happen,  for  a  few  moments  later 
there  were  shouts  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  defile,  answered 
by  my  companions,  who  came  forth  and  waved  their  rifles  over 
their  heads  as  sign  of  greeting. 

Vatt,  replacing  his  pistol  in  his  belt,  spoke  in  a  loud,  sharp 
voice,  and  received  an  answer.  Those  mountaineers  can 
throw  their  voices  long  distances,  and  be  heard  distinctly,  a 
fact  I  often  noticed. 

Then  Palok  told  me  that  the  strangers  were  of  the  neigh- 
bouring tribe,  the  Kastrati,  and  that  their  chief,  Ded  Presci, 
had  come  to  pay  Vatt  a  visit. 

For  me  this  was  fortunate,  for  it  gave  me  an  opportunity  of 
meeting  the  other  ruler  of  Northern  Albania ;  for  next  to  the 
Skreli  the  Kastrati  are  most  powerful  in  the  Accursed 
Mountains. 

Hsilf  an  hour  later  we  met  our  visitors.  Dressed  very 
similarly  to  my  companions,  they  wore  white  tassel-less  fezes 
instead  of  the  little  white  skullcap,  and  the  black  stripes 
down  their  trousers  were  somewhat  different.  The  two  chief- 
tains touched  foreheads,  and  I  was  afterwards  introduced. 


Mrika,    the    woman   who    carried    on   the    blood"feud. 


LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND  85 

Ded  Presci,  a  round-faced,  pleasant  man,  rather  stout  and 
burly,  his  hair  cut  in  mediaeval  style,  gripped  me  warmly  by 
the  hand,  saying — 

"  I  heard  that  you  were  in  Skodra  during  the  festd.  Some 
of  my  men  told  me  there  was  an  Englishman.  But  I  never 
expected  to  meet  you.  Perhaps  you  are  coming  across  to  see 
me — eh  ?     If  so,  you  are  quite  welcome." 

"  I  may  come  next  year  to  shoot,  with  a  couple  of  English 
friends.    May  I  visit  you  then  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly.  You  have  only  to  warn  me  of  your 
coming  through  one  of  our  men  down  in  Skodra,  and  I  will 
give  you  safe  escort,"  was  his  reply.  "  If  you  are  fond  of 
sport,  you  will  find  plenty  with  us.  Only  bring  a  tent,  and 
perhaps  some  provisions ;  for  our  food  is  not  what  you  foreigners 
are  used  to." 

"  Then  I  shall  return  one  day  before  long,"  I  promised. 
"  Do.     You   need   fear   nothing,    you   know.    We   never 
betray  a  friend." 

"  Or  forgive  an  enemy,"  added  Vatt,  laughing. 
"  Especially  if  he  be  a  Turk,"  I  remarked  ;   whereat  both 
chiefs  laughed  in  chorus. 

That  evening  I  ate  with  the  pair  in  a  small  lonely  house 
on  the  moimtainside,  and  the  moon  had  long  risen  before 
Palok  and  I  returned  to  Ltik's. 

My  photographic  camera  was,  from  the  first,  regarded  with 
a  good  deal  of  suspicion,  and  it  was  with  very  great  difiiculty 
I  persuaded  anybody  to  have  his  picture  taken.  Many 
surreptitious  snap-shots  I  took  with  a  small  "  Brownie " 
camera,  for  unfortunately  I  had  run  out  of  films  for  my  own 
larger  Kodak.  But  I  was  able  to  secure  some  photographs, 
which  now  appear  in  this  volume. 

Early  one  morning,  soon  after  sunrise,  I  was  walking  with 
Luk  and  Palok  when  a  young  woman  passed  us. 
"  That  is'Mrika  Kol  Marashut,"  Luk  remarked. 
"  And  who  is  she  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Mrika — the  woman  who  carried  on  the  blood-feud,"  was 
his  answer.  "  Two  years  ago  she  was  the  most  beautiful  girl 
of  our  tribe,  and  had  a  dozen  men  ready  to  marry  her.     She 


86  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

married  Ltv,  a  smart  yoimp;  man  from  the  Pulati  side,  and  one 
of  tlie  Bijryaktar's  bodyguard,  like  myself.  A  month  after 
thoir  marriago  Lez  was  treacherously  killed  by  his  brother, 
who  lived  down  by  the  White  Drin,  and  was  violently  in  love 
with  her.  When  she  received  the  news  she  became  half 
dcuiented  by  grief.  But,  by  slow  degrees,  she  formed  her 
plans  for  the  blood-feud,  and  having  no  male  relatives,  resolved 
to  take  it  on  herself.  She  therefore  left  us  and  was  absent 
nearly  a  year,  during  which  time  she  persistently  followed  her 
brother-in-law  first  to  Ochrida,  in  Macedonia,  then  to  Skopia, 
Prisrend,  and  many  other  places,  always  awaiting  her  oppor- 
tunity to  strike  the  blow.  This  came  one  afternoon  when  her 
husband's  assassin  was  walking  in  the  main  street  in  Skodra, 
and  she  took  Lez's  pistol  from  her  belt  and  blew  his  face  away. 
It  was  valiant  of  a  woman — was  it  not  ?  But  not  only  that," 
he  went  on.  "  Having  killed  the  murderer,  she  went  straight  to 
his  parents'  house,  three  days'  journey,  and  shot  them  both 
dead.  Since  then  she  has  been  back  with  us,  for  poor  Lez's 
death  has  been  avenged.  I  was  sorry  he  died,"  he  added 
regretfully,  "  for  he  was  one  of  my  dearest  friends." 

Murder  is  hardly  a  crime  in  Albania,  for  life  is  cheap — 
very  cheap.  An  enemy  or  a  stranger  is  shot  like  a  dog,  and 
left  at  the  roadside. 

Palok  told  me  of  an  incident  which  truly  illustrates  the 
utter  disregard  the  Albanian  has  for  other  people's  lives.  He 
was  once  with  a  man  of  the  Hoti — on  the  Montenegrin  frontier 
— who  had  just  obtained  a  new  rifle,  probably  from  a  murdered 
Turkish  soldier.  While  he  was  inspecting  it  a  man  passed  close 
by,  a  stranger,  whereupon  the  man  with  the  new  gun  raised  it 
to  his  shoulder,  took  aim,  and  fired.  The  stranger  fell  dead. 
Palok  remonstrated,  but  his  companion  merely  said  that  he 
was  testing  his  gun's  accuracy.  Was  it  not  better,  he  asked, 
to  test  it  that  way,  instead  of  waiting  till  face  to  face  with  an 
enemy  ? 

The  assassin  is  never  punished,  except  by  those  who  take 
up  the  blood-feud.  If  the  murder  takes  place  in  a  town  the 
guilty  one  escapes  to  the  mountains,  or  gets  away  into  Mace- 
donia, or  into  Servia,  where  he  earns  his  living  by  sawing 


LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND  87 

firewood.  Every  few  years  the  Sultan  issues  an  irade  "  for 
the  pacification  of  the  blood,"  as  it  is  put,  and  the  murderer 
then  returns.  He  pays  a  small  tax  to  the  Turkish  Government, 
after  which  he  cannot  be  arrested ;  and  if  he  pays  about  three 
hundred  crowns  to  the  relatives  of  his  victim,  the  blood-feud 
is  at  an  end. 

This,  of  course,  does  not  apply  to  the  mountain  tribes. 
They  care  not  a  jot  for  the  Sultan  or  for  his  irades.  There  is 
no  law — save  that  of  the  blood-feud,  the  vendetta  falling  upon 
the  murderer  and  upon  his  next  male  relative.  Many  were 
the  curious  facts  regarding  the  blood-feud  and  the  Albanian 
laws  of  hospitality  told  to  me. 

A  case  in  point  was  that  of  a  young  man  named  Kol,  a 
friend  of  Ltik's,  a  tall,  wiry  youth,  of  somewhat  sinister  ex- 
pression— a  typical  bandit  out  of  a  book-illustration. 

I  was  talking  to  Luk  about  the  hospitality  extended  by 
the  various  tribes  to  each  other  when  Kol  passed,  and  he 
beckoned  him,  saying — 

"  He  has  just  had  a  curious  experience  in  the  Klementi 
country.     Let  him  relate  it  to  you." 

So  at  Palok's  invitation  the  young  fellow  accepted  one  of 
my  cigarettes,  placed  his  rifle  against  the  wall,  and  flung  himself 
down  upon  a  small  boulder  near  us. 

He  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  from  his  lips,  stroked  his  knees 
with  his  hands,  and  looked  at  me  with  considerable  curiosity, 
wondering  why  I  should  want  to  know  his  story. 

"  The  stranger  is  interested  in  your  adventures  with  the 
Klementi.     Tell  him  all  about  them." 

"  Bah  !  "  he  said,  with  a  slight  shrug  of  the  shoulders.  "  It 
was  nothing — mere  chance — luck,  if  you  like  to  call  it  so. 
There  is  nothing  to  tell." 

"  But  what  there  is  interests  the  Englishman.  He  is  the 
Baryaktar's  guest,  remember,"  Luk  remarked. 

"  WeU,"  said  the  young  man  reluctantly,  "  I  was  in 
blood-feud  with  a  man  of  the  Klementi,  and  went  over  there 
to  kill  him.  I  laid  in  wait  one  evening,  and  as  he  drove  home 
his  sheep  I  shot  him  from  behind  a  rock.  He  had  killed  my 
father,  therefore  I  had  a  just  right  to  avenge  his  blood.     My 


88  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

shot,  however,  aroused  the  whole  valley,  and  I  knew  that 
1,  the  only  stranger,  would  be  suspected  and  killed.  There- 
fore I  sped  away  down  the  valley  in  the  darkness  till  I  reached 
a  ]>oor  little  house.  An  old  woman  was  there,  and  I  craved 
food  and  shelter  for  the  night.  She  gave  me  food  at  once — for, 
like  ourselves,  the  Klementi  never  send  a  stranger  empty  away. 
I  was  hungry,  for  I  had  crossed  into  the  Klementi  region  in 
secret,  and  dared  not  seek  food  lest  my  presence  became  known 
to  the  man  I  intended  to  kill. 

"  Scarcely  had  I  eaten  the  meat  the  old  woman  had 
given  me  when  there  came  the  sound  of  voices  outside, 
and  to  my  horror  I  saw  four  men  carrying  the  body  of  my 
xnctim. 

"  '  See  !  '  they  cried  to  ,the  woman  who  was  befriending 
me.     '  One  of  the  Skreli  has  killed  your  son  ! ' 

"  Then  I  knew  that  it  was  the  murdered  man's  mother  who 
had  given  me  shelter.  A  moment  later  the  men,  among  whom 
was  the  elder  brother  of  the  victim,  discovered  me. 

"  '  See  ! '  they  cried.  '  There  is  your  son's  murderer. 
We  wiU  kill  him  !  * 

"  I  stood  with  my  back  to  the  wall,  knowing  well  that 
my  last  moment  had  come.  The  dead  man's  brother  raised  his 
rifle  while  I  drew  my  pistol,  prepared  at  least  to  fire  once  more 
before  I  died.     I  was  caught  like  a  rat  in  a  trap  ! 

"  The  old  woman,  however,  seeing  my  position  and  my 
helplessness,  cried — 

"  '  No.  Though  he  has  killed  your  brother,  you  may  not 
touch  him.  He  is  beneath  our  roof  ;  he  has  eaten  our  bread, 
and  our  protection  must  remain  over  him  tUl  to-morrow's 
sunset.     Remember,  my  son.     It  is  our  law.' 

"  The  man  dropped  his  rifle,  and  his  friends  drew  back  at 
the  old  woman's  reproof. 

"  '  Go  ! '  she  said  to  me,  after  glancing  at  her  son's  body. 
'  You  have  eaten  our  bread,  and  therefore  you  cannot  be 
harmed.' 

Yes,  go,*  added  my  victim's  brother.  '  Till  to-morrow's 
sundown  I  will  not  follow.  But  after  that,  I  shall  track  you 
down,  and,  before  Heaven,  I  will  kill  you.' 


LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND  89 

"  Need  I  say  that  I  took  up  my  rifle,  and  leaving  the  house 
travelled  quickly  all  night  and  all  next  day,  until  I  returned 
here  ?  But,"  added  Kol,  with  a  slight  sigh,  "  we  shall  meet  one 
day — and  he  will  most  certainly  kill  me." 

Is  there  any  other  country  in  the  world  where  such  a  code 
of  honour  exists  ?     I  am  inclined  to  think  not. 

Had  I  been  in  the  midst  of  a  highly  civilised  people — a 
foreigner  wandering  in  the  wilds  of  Yorkshire,  for  example — 
I  certainly  should  never  have  received  the  many  charming 
kindnesses  that  I  did  at  the  hands  of  those  rough,  uncivilised 
tribes.  Climbing  like  cats  up  the  mountainsides  as  they  did, 
I  was  often  compelled  to  lag  behind,  being  unused  to  such 
walking.  But,  laughing  merrily,  those  armed  banditti  would 
take  me  by  the  arms  and  help  me  up  the  steeper  places ;  they 
would  roll  cigarettes  for  me,  carry  my  rifle  when  I  grew  fagged, 
and  fetch  and  carry  for  me  like  children. 

My  neat  Smith- Wesson  hammerless  revolver  was  constantly 
admired,  as  being  a  much  more  handy  and  serviceable  weapon 
than  their  own  big  pistols — Austrian-made  revolvers  fitted 
to  antique  silver  butts  that  had  once  done  service  to  flint- 
locks. My  Browning  repeating  revolver,  with  its  magazine 
holding  eight  cartridges,  was  declared  a  marvel  of  ingenuity, 
and  on  many  occasions  Vatt  and  his  men  amused  themselves 
by  firing  with  it  at  targets. 

Once  he  remarked,  with  a  grim  smile,  that  it  would  be  a 
handy  weapon  against  the  Turks.  Where  could  he  get  one  ? 
Was  it  costly  ? 

And  when  I  promised  to  send  him  one  through  our  mutual 
friend  in  the  bazaar  down  in  Skodra,  as  souvenir  of  my  visit, 
his  joy  knew  no  bounds. 

A  month  later  I  fulfilled  my  promise,  sending  it  across 
from  Sofia,  and  have  since  received  an  acknowledgment  of 
its  safe  receipt. 

I  wonder  whether  he  has  yet  used  it  against  the  hated 
Turk  ?  Whether  or  not,  he  no  doubt  struts  about  with  it  in 
his  belt,  a  greater  chief  than  all  the  others,  because  he  possesses 
the  very  latest  and  deadliest  of  weapons. 

When  one  evening  I  told  my  host  that  I  had  still  a  long 


90  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

way  to  go— through  Bosnia,  Herzegovina,  Servia,  Bulgaria, 
Roumania.  and  Macedonia— and  that  I  must  bid  him  farewell, 
his  face  fell.     He  seemed  to  genuinely  regret. 

"  But  you  will  return  soon,"  he  urged.  "  You  will  redeem 
your  promise,  and  bring  your  friends  to  shoot.  Bring  that 
friend  you  told  me  about  who  shoots  tigers  in  India.  I  want 
to  see  what  sort  of  shot  he  is.  And  the  friend  who  shoots 
partridges  and  pheasants." 

I  promised  that  I  would  go  back  to  him  before  long. 

"  Remember,  there  will  be  no  danger — none.  Tell  your 
friends  that  Vatt  invites  them,  and  that  they  are  free  to  go 
anywhere — anywhere,"  he  said,  waving  his  hand  over  the 
wild  panorama  of  mountain  and  valley  that  is  his  indisputable 
domain. 

Next  day  I  rose,  packed  my  smaU  belongings,  and  with 
a  little  present  to  Lijk  and  to  his  pretty  wife  prepared  to 
leave,  when,  judge  my  amazement  to  find  Vatt  and  his  body- 
guard outside,  and  to  hear  that  the  chief  had  decided  to 
accompany  me  right  down  to  Skodra  ! 

This  indeed  he  did,  and  when  we  arrived  in  the  town  held 
by  the  Turks  he  strutted  down  the  main  street  with  me, 
apparently  proud  of  his  guest,  and  in  open  defiance  of  the 
scowling  ragged  soldiers  in  dirty  red  fezes. 

Though  a  deadly  enemy  of  the  Turks,  he  openly  defied 
them.  As  we  walked  along  the  streets  there  came  close  behind 
us  twenty  of  his  faithful  followers,  armed  to  the  teeth  and 
carrying  their  rifles  ready  loaded  in  case  of  trouble. 

But  there  was  no  trouble.  The  Turks  of  Skodra  are  wise 
enough  to  let  the  Skreli  severely  alone. 

Trouble  will,  however,  come  one  day  before  long,  and  then 
alas  for  the  subjects  of  the  Sultan.  The  Albanians  will  avenge 
the  blood  of  the  Christians  now  spilt  daily  in  Macedonia,  and 
the  Turk  will  be  driven  back  southward — or  at  least  what  is 
left  of  him. 

I  parted  from  Vatt  at  the  door  of  my  so-called  alhergo. 
He  took  a  glass  of  rakhi  with  me,  and  afterwards,  with  a  hearty 
hand-grip,  he  told  me  not  to  forget  my  promise  to  return. 
Ihen  he  left  me,  stalking  at  the  head  of  his  armed  band,  who 


LIFE  WITH  A  BRIGAND  BAND  91 

one  and  all  wished   me  bon  voyage,  and  he  went  down  the 
street  on  his  return  to  his  mountain  home. 

But  the  irony  of  Fate  followed.  A  fortnight  later  I  found 
myself  riding  with  a  strong  military  escort  on  the  other  side 
of  the  mountains,  where  I  had  been  so  hospitably  entertained 
— along  the  frontier  of  the  Skreli  country. 

It  was  growing  dusk,  and  we  were  passing  through  a  deep 
ravine,  our  horses  stumbling  at  every  step,  when  of  a  sudden 
the  crack  of  a  rifle  startled  us. 

F'^  Next  instant  a  dozen  rifles  flashed  fire  in  the  deep  shadows 
to  our  left.     The  Skreli  outposts  were  sniping  at  us  ! 

In  a  moment  we  had  all  dismounted  and  sought  cover,  and 
for  fully  ten  minutes  returned  their  fire  vigorously,  while 
the  officer  of  the  escort  kept  up  a  volley  of  imprecations  on 
the  heads  of  my  late  hosts,  who  were,  of  course,  in  ignorance 
that  they  were  firing  upon  "  the  Englishman."  We  were  too 
far  off  each  other  to  do  much  harm,  therefore  we  simply  blazed 
away.  I  was  crouched  behind  a  rock  with  the  muzzle  of  my 
rifle  poked  through  a  convenient  crack,  and  fired  towards  the 
spot  where  the  flashes  showed. 

A  good  deal  of  powder  and  bad  language  were  expended, 
until  at  last  our  friends  on  the  other  side  of  the  valley, 
apparently  thinking  we  were  too  far  away,  ceased  firing,  and 
we  of  course  did  the  same. 

It  was  a  mutual  truce.  For  ten  minutes  longer  we  waited 
in  order  to  see  what  would  happen.  Then,  leading  our  horses, 
we  crept  carefully  along  on  our  way  northward,  out  of  the 
range  of  our  friends'  guns. 

5 ,")  Those  moments  were  exciting,  however,  while  they  lasted, 
yet  they  were  not  without  their  grim  humour. 


BOSNIA    AND    HERZEGOVINA 


98 


CHAPTER    I 
SOME  REVELATIONS 

Through  Dalmatia  to  Herzegovina — Over  the  Balkan  watershed — Bosnia 
and  Sarayevo — A  half-Turkish,  half-Servian  town — Austrian  persecution 
of  the  Christians — Some  astounding  facts — A  land  of  spies  and  scandals 
— The  police  as  murderers — A  disgrace  to  European  civiUsation. 

IN  the  darkest  hour  before  dayhght  I  bade  farewell  to  my 
friend  Mr.  Charles  des  Graz,  the  British  Charge  dAffaires 
in  Cettinje,  and  mounting  into  the  pair-horse  carriage,  left  the 
Montenegrin  capital  to  descend  that  most  wonderfully  en- 
gineered road  over  the  face  of  the  bare  mountains  to  Cattaro, 
on  my  way  to  Herzegovina  and  Bosnia. 

Though  still  dark,  Cettinje  was  already  stirring,  and  as  I 
drove  through  the  long  main  street,  armed  men  who  were  my 
friends  saluted  me,  and  shouted  "  S'bogomf"  My  driver  and 
myself  were  armed  too,  in  case  of  "  accident,"  yet  the  Monte- 
negrin roads  are  quite  safe  nowadays,  thanks  to  the  pacific  and 
beneficent  rule  of  His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Nicholas. 

Our  eight-hour  journey  through  the  mountains  was  full  of 
interest.  Over  those  bare,  tumbled  limestone  rocks,  devoid  of 
herbage  and  wild  to  the  extremity  of  desolation,  came  the 
first  rosy  flush  of  dawn,  and  as  we  watched,  the  sun  gradually 
dispelled  the  greys  into  yellows  and  golds  in  all  the  glory  of 
the  bursting  of  an  autumn  day.  First,  over  the  great  plateau 
on  which  Cettinje  is  situated  ;  then  up  the  bare  face  of  the 
mountain  in  a  series  of  zigzags  with  acute  angles  ;  up,  higher 
and  higher,  where  the  wind  cut  one's  face  like  a  knife  ;  and 
higher  still,  where  we  got  out  to  walk,  and  so  lighten  the  horses 
and  warm  ourselves.    I  gave  my  driver  a  pull  at  my  flask,  for 


96  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

the  temperature  was  below  zero,  and  we  were  both  cramped 
and  cold.  Even  through  my  leather-lined  motor-coat  the  wind 
cut  like  a  knife,  chUling  me  to  the  bone. 

At  the  summit  a  glorious  view,  one  more  wonderful,  perhaps, 
than  any  in  the  whole  of  the  Balkans.  On  the  one  side  in  the 
far  blue  distance  the  Accursed  Mountains  of  Albania,  where 
dwelt  my  friend  Vatt  Marashi  and  his  fearless  men,  and  on  the 
other,  away  down  in  the  rolling  mists,  lay  what  looked  like  a 
series  of  lakes,  but  which  in  reality  was  the  wandering  arm  of  the 
Adriatic,  the  magnificent  fjord  called  the  Mouths  of  Cattaro — 
the  Bocche  di  Cattaro. 

Here  we  struck  the  single  telegraph-wire  which  places 
remote  Cettinje  in  connection  with  the  rest  of  the  civilised 
world,  and  then  the  pace  of  our  rough  mountain  horses  showed 
that  we  were  descending.  Far  below  were  a  number  of 
scattered  houses,  the  little  town  of  Nyegush,  the  chief  edifice  of 
which  is  the  unpretentious  palace  of  the  Prince,  and  for  a  full 
hour  and  a  half  we  wound  down  and  down  ere  we  reached 
its  main  street  and  pulled  up  at  the  inn  for  half  an  hour  to 
get  some  coffee  and  to  rest  the  horses. 

Cramped  and  half-frozen  as  I  was,  the  big  steaming  bowl 
of  coffee  was  indeed  welcome.  Then,  after  scribbling  some 
postcards  to  friends  in  England,  I  went  for  a  brisk  walk,  took 
a  photograph  or  two,  and  returned,  just  as  the  horses  were  being 
reharnessed. 

Down  again,  ever  down,  past  a  great  dark  cavern,  and  on 
until  we  came  to  the  row  of  stone  slabs  set  in  the  road  that 
marks  the  frontier  between  gallant  little  Montenegro  and  her 
enemy  Austria.  And  then,  what  a  view  !  Surely  the  most 
superb  in  all  Europe  ! 

Our  old  familiar  tourist-Switzerland,  the  toy-Tyrol,  the 
Norwegian  fjords,  the  trumpery- Apennines,  and  the  high 
Balkans  are  full  of  magnificent  scenery,  but  for  a  picturesque 
combination  of  blue  sea  and  sheer  bare  mountain  nothing 
that  I  have  ever  seen — and  I  have  knocked  about  Europe,  I 
believe,  as  much  as  most  men — equals  that  view  from  the 
Montenegrin  road. 

All  is  beautiful — all  save  that  frowning  fortress  which  the 


SOME  REVELATIONS  97 

Austrians  have  lately  constructed  to  command  the  road,  and 
which  it  is  strictly  forbidden  to  photograph  under  pain  of 
imprisonment  as  a  spy.  I,  however,  risked  it,  and  took  another 
picture,  which  turned  out  rather  well. 

In  Cattaro,  being  the  bearer  of  despatches  for  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  Foreign  Office  in  London,  and  being  therefore 
armed  with  a  laisser-passer,  my  baggage  was  not  examined, 
and  at  one  o'clock  I  again  boarded  the  same  steamer  which  had 
brought  me  from  Trieste,  the  Graf  Wurnibrand,  bound  for 
Gravosa — which  is  the  port  for  Ragusa,  in  Dalmatia. 

Ragusa  I  Tound  a  quaint,  mediaeval  place,  reminding  me 
strongly  of  one  of  those  old  towns  on  the  Italian  Riviera — I 
mean  those  unfashionable  ones,  at  which  the  train  stops  and 
nobody  gets  out — ones  that  you  only  visit  if  you  are  motoring 
from  Monte  Carlo  along  to  Genoa.  It  is  a  town  of  ponderous 
walls,  of  narrow  streets,  and  queer  dark  byways.  Across  its 
dry  moat  and  through  its  ancient  gateway  carriages  do  not 
pass,  and  as  soon  as  you  are  in  the  main  street  you  are  out 
of  it  again,  and  passing  through  a  water-gate  are  upon  a  small 
quay. 

Difficult  it  is  to  realise  that  this  quiet,  old-world  town, 
where  everyone  speaks  Italian,  was  once  the  great  port  of  the 
Balkan  hinterland  in  the  days  when  Venice  was  Queen  of  the 
Seas.  And  yet  to  the  antiquary  it  is  pleasant  to  stroll  in  and 
out  of  the  old  sixteenth-century  churches,  the  Rector's  Palace, 
and  the  rest,  to  examine  the  medieval  Onofrio  fountain,  and 
to  spend  a  day,  as  I  did,  among  the  architectural  relics  of  an 
age  bygone  and  long  forgotten. 

While  there  it  rained  for  the  first  time  after  the  long  dry 
season.  And  if  you  have  ever  been  in  Italy — or  anywhere, 
indeed — in  the  extreme  south  of  Europe  on  the  first  day  of  the 
rainy  season,  you  will  know  what  I  mean  when  I  say  it  was 
not  a  mere  shower.  Water  came  down  in  sheets,  and  for  a 
whole  day  and  a  whole  night  it  never  ceased,  while  the  lightning 
flashed  and  the  thunder  crashed  and  echoed  in  the  chain  of 
mountains  behind  the  town. 

Palms  and  oranges  grow  in  profusion  in  Ragusa,  while 
across  on  the  beautiful  island  of  Lacroma — which  legend 
7 


98  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

connects  with  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion— is  vegetation  more 
luxuriant  than  even  upon  the  French  Riviera.  Prince  Mirko 
of  Montenegro,  Colonel  Constantinovitch,  his  father-in-law, 
and  a  number  of  wealthy  people,  mostly  Austrians,  have 
fine  winter  villas  outside  the  town,  and  life  there  in  spring  is 
said  to  be  quite  charming. 

Many  yachts  call  there  during  the  season,  and  there  is 
opera  at  frequent  intervals.  Zara,  Spalato,  and  Lussinpiccolo 
are  all  favourite  winter  resorts  of  the  Austrians  and  Hungarians, 
but  none  is  so  smart  or  so  select  as  Ragusa,  which,  by  the  way, 
has  its  hotel,  the  Imperial,  where  the  charges  equal,  if  not 
quite  eclipse,  those  of  the  best  hotels  at  Nice  or  Monte  Carlo, 
while  the  cooking  is  inferior. 

For  the  owner  of  a  pretty  villa  overlooking  the  sea  who 
desires  to  spend  a  quiet,  healthful  winter,  Ragusa  may  be 
pleasant,  but  I  confess  it  struck  me  as  a  particularly  dull 
little  town — a  place  so  full  of  faded  glory  as  to  be  painful. 

The  journey  from  Gravosa  across  Dalmatia,  Herzegovina, 
Bosnia,  and  Hungary  to  Servia  I  found  tedious,  though  mostly 
through  fine  wild  mountain  scenery.  I  performed  it  partly  by 
road  and  partly  by  rail,  making  Mostar  and  Sarayevo — the 
Bosnian  capital — my  halting-places. 

The  rail,  a  narrow-gauge  one  with  a  single  train  a  day, 
starts  from  Gravosa  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  first 
ascends  the  Ombla  valley  from  the  sea.  Gradually  it  rises  in 
a  series  of  zigzags  over  the  grey  bare  rocks  and  through  many 
tunnels  for  sixty  miles  to  Gabela,  a  little  mountain  town, 
and  then  through  the  dry  beds  of  a  series  of  great  lakes,  and 
across  barren  plateaux  until  it  descends  into  the  valley  of 
the  Narenta,  which  narrows  into  a  series  of  dark,  romantic 
defiles,  while  the  mountains  grow  higher  and  more  wild,  until 
Mostar,  the  capital  of  Herzegovina,  is  reached. 

Mostar  is  a  rather  dull  little  town  on  the  Narenta,  still 
half-Turkish,  with  its  mosques  and  bazaar  where  one  can 
obtain  inlaid  silver  work  from  Livino.  But  there  was  certainly 
nothing  to  attract,  so  I  pushed  on  next  day  to  Sarayevo. 
Between  the  two  capitals  the  scenery  is  superb,  indeed  some 
of  the  grandest  in  the  whole  of  the  Balkans.     Through  the 


SOME  REVELATIONS  99 

Great  Defile,  or  Gorge  of  the  Narenta,  the  train  slowly  wends 
its  sinuous  course  beneath  the  high  precipices  of  Velez,  and 
then  through  the  Prenj  Mountains,  across  the  Glogosnica  valley 
to  the  small  garrison  town  of  Jablanica,  a  lonely  little  place 
in  a  very  wild  district. 

Twenty  miles  farther  on  we  came  to  Konjica,  a  picturesque 
httle  place  with  a  fine  old  Turkish  bridge  spanning  the  Narenta, 
where  the  train  halts,  affording  us  time  to  explore  the  place  and 
take  a  photograph  or  two.  Then  the  ascent  is  so  steep  that 
the  puffing  little  locomotive  is  fitted  with  cog-wheels  to  take 
us  through  the  Trescanica  valley  up  over  the  ridge  of  the 
wild  Ivan  Planina,  the  high  watershed  between  the  Black 
Sea  and  the  Adriatic. 

Progress  is  slow  and  halts  are  frequent.  In  places  there 
have  been  landslips,  and  we  creep  along  the  edges  of  dangerous 
precipices.  But  the  scenery  fully  compensates  for  the  many 
tedious  hours  and  for  lack  of  food — for  in  our  ignorance  I  had 
omitted  to  lay  in  stores,  and  the  only  thing  I  could  obtain 
during  the  day  was  half  a  dozen  apples  !  The  Bosnian  frontier 
crossed,  the  train  traverses  the  saddle  of  Vilovac,  then  descends 
rapidly  through  beautiful  wooded  valleys  and  along  the  Bosna 
and  Zeljeznica  rivers,  untU,  in  the  darkness,  Sarayevo  with  its 
many  electric  lamps  is  reached — a  raUway  journey  even  more 
interesting  than  the  well-known  Gothard  route. 

My  fellow-passengers  from  Mostar  were  two.  One  was  a 
Turkish  gentleman  who  removed  his  slippers  and  sat  cross- 
legged  on  the  seat  fingering  his  beads  until  the  sundown,  when 
he  produced  some  sandwiches  from  the  tail  of  his  frock-coat,  and 
slowly  consumed  them  after  his  long  fast  since  four  o'clock 
that  morning.  The  other  was  a  particularly  communicative 
Austrian  gentleman,  whom  I  recognised  at  once  to  be  a  spy. 

Sarayevo,  the  Bosnian  capital,  is  very  Eastern,  and,  being  so, 
is  full  of  attraction  for  the  stranger.  There  is  a  very  fair 
old-fashioned  hotel,  the  Europa,  in  the  centre  of  the  town, 
nearly  two  miles  from  the  station.  It  is  a  city  of  mosques, 
the  minarets  of  which  were  all  gaily  illuminated  on  the  night 
of  my  arrival,  producing  a  picturesque  effect  against  the 
night-sky. 


100  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Till'  place  is  prettily  situated  —  a  town  of  some  forty 
thousand  inhabitants,  half  Serb,  half  Eastern.  Lying  in  the 
narrow  valley,  whence  the  river  Milyacka  bursts  forth  from  a 
gorge  just  above  the  town,  the  dwellers  by  the  riverside  are 
mostly  Austrian  immigrants,  while  the  natives  have  their 
houses  and  their  mosques  on  the  hillside.  Every  house  has 
its  own  little  garden,  as  in  Servia,  and  of  course  the  bazaar 
is  the  centre  of  trade,  as  in  every  town  where  the  beslippered 
Turk  still  remains. 

This  charshiya,  or  bazaar,  is  a  great  labyrinth  of  dark, 
narrow,  ill-paved  alleys  flanked  with  booths,  where  every 
trade,  each  with  its  particular  quarter,  is  carried  on  in  open 
view  to  the  passers-by.  The  copper  ware,  silver  filigree,  and 
carpets  are  attractive,  but  most  of  the  so-called  Oriental  goods 
are  "  fakes."  The  place,  though  there  is  a  variety  of  costume 
everywhere,  is  not  half  so  attractive  as  Skodra,  because  of  the 
Austrian  bogey  that  pervades  everything. 

To  buy  specimens  of  Bosnian  chiselled  metal  work  it  is 
best  to  go  to  the  Government  School  of  Industrial  Art,  where 
the  finest  pieces  of  workmanship  may  be  seen  in  course  of 
execution,  and  where  the  price  asked  is  a  fixed  one,  below  that 
demanded  either  in  the  bazaar  or  in  shops.  The  services  for 
Turkish  coffee  in  chiselled  copper-gilt  are  of  chaste  and  very 
elegant  design,  perfect  marvels  of  patience  in  chiselling,  and 
very  appreciable  to  the  Western  taste  in  decorative  art. 

The  chief  feature  of  the  bazaar  is  the  Husref  Beg  Mosque, 
the  finest  in  the  town,  to  which,  though  an  Infidel,  I  was 
granted  admission.  I  of  course  put  on  overshoes,  and  made 
an  interesting  tour  round  with  a  priest  who  only  spoke  Turkish, 
so  that  I  did  not  learn  very  much  from  him.  Built  about 
1540,  it  is  a  fine  spacious  structure,  with  dome  and  high  minarets, 
and  in  front,  in  the  quiet  old  courtyard,  is  a  fine  old  fountain 
for  ablutions  shaded  by  a  very  ancient  lime  tree.  Before  it, 
sit  several  Turkish  pedlars  in  turbans  selling  rosaries,  printed 
texts  from  the  Koran,  imitation  otto-of-rose  manufactured 
from  geranium,  European  collar-studs,  and  other  trifles. 

Another  industry  peculiar  to  Bosnia  is  the  inlay  of  gold 
and  silver  into  bog-oak,  or  gun-metal,  and  many  quaint  little 


SOME  REVELATIONS  loi 

objects — boxes,  bracelets,  brooches,  and  belt-buckles — quite 
unique  in  England,  may  be  purchased.  The  old  silver  filigree 
buttons  displayed  everywhere  may  also  be  used  with  advantage 
by  ladies  for  hat-pins. 

A  stroll  through  the  town  shows  at  once  the  mixed  character 
of  the  people,  for  all  the  names  of  streets  are  written  up  in 
three  languages — Turkish,  Croatian,  and  Serb.  The  noisy 
thoroughfares  are  crowded  with  Europeans,  mixed  up  with 
baggy-legged  men  and  veiled  women,  men  in  fezes  in  all  stages 
of  disintegration,  while  the  Bosnian  ladies  wear  the  queerest 
head-gear  I  have  ever  set  eyes  upon.  The  hair  is  parted  in 
the  middle  and  brushed  down  straight,  while  upon  it  is  stuck  a 
tiny  pork-pie  cap  of  gaudy-coloured  chintz  or  silk,  edged  with  a 
thousand  gilt  sequins  sewn  closely  together,  the  most  ugly  and 
most  unbecoming  head-dress  imaginable.  Yet  it  is  evidently 
the  mode,  and  is  worn  by  European  ladies  in  all  other  respects 
attired  as  one  would  find  them  in  Vienna  or  in    Budapest. 

But  this  is  Bosnia,  and  assuredly  strange  things  happen 
here  under  the  unjust  rule  of  Austria. 

Strangers  seldom  come  to  Sarayevo.  In  the  heart  of  that 
mountainous  region  between  the  Save  and  the  Adriatic,  only 
approached  from  the  south  by  that  rack-and-pinion  railway, 
or  from  the  north  by  the  one  train  a  day  from  that  un-get-at- 
able  station  in  Slavonia,  Bosnche-Brod,  it  is  entirely  shut 
away  from  European  influence — or  European  eyes,  for  the 
matter  of  that — and  quite  off  the  track  taken  by  strangers  in 
the  Balkans. 

Indeed,  I  would  never  advise  the  intending  traveller  to 
take  that  route  from  Ragusa  to  Belgrade.  Better  by  far  take 
the  steamer  right  up  the  Adriatic  to  Fiume,  and  thence  by  rail, 
as  it  is  quicker,  and  much  less  fatiguing.  I  did  not  go  to 
Bosnia,  however,  so  much  to  see  its  capital  as  to  obtain  some 
idea  of  the  present  system  of  government  there,  and  to  hear 
from  the  lips  of  the  people  themselves  the  advantages,  or 
disadvantages,  of  the  rule  of  His  Majesty  the  Emperor  Francis 
Josef. 

With  many  well-known  men  in  Sarayevo  I  talked.  I  heard 
both  sides.     But  I  am  bound  to  admit  that  some  of  the  facts 


102  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

proved  to  me  were  utterly  amazing,  showing  how  ill  and  un- 
justly governed  is  both  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina.  I  had  read 
Andr^  Barre's  recent  book,  La  Bosnic-Herzegovina,  and  had 
doubted  the  very  serious  and  direct  charges  which  he  brings 
against  the  Austrian  Administration. 

Therefore  I  went  to  see  for  myself,  to  make  inquiry,  and 
to  thoroughly  investigate. 

The  opinion  I  formed,  after  analysing  the  many  facts 
placed  before  me,  is  that  the  present  oppressed  state  of  Bosnia 
is  surely  a  vivid  object-lesson  to  Servia,  where  day  by  day 
Austria  is  endeavouring,  by  the  most  ingenious  and  unscrupulous 
forms  of  intrigue,  to  obtain  a  footing.  This  latter  I  will 
explain  more  fully  in  my  chapters  on  the  future  of  Servia. 
Suffice  it  here  to  say  that  poor  struggling  Bosnia  is  to-day 
helpless  beneath  the  talons  of  the  Austrian  eagle,  and  that  the 
administration  is  a  shameful  travesty  of  civilised  rule. 

The  Serb  population  are  more  essentially  the  sufferers, 
and  have  been  so  ever  since  the  Austrian  occupation  allowed 
by  the  Treaty  of  Berlin.  Through  the  four  centuries  of  the 
Turkish  rule,  the  Christians  were  from  time  to  time  oppressed, 
and  in  return  revolted,  more  particularly  in  1850  and  1875 ; 
but  the  position  of  the  Serbs  to-day  is  very  little  better,  if  any, 
than  it  was  before  the  Russo-Turkish  War. 

Indeed,  it  seems  that  the  whole  policy  of  Austria  in  Bosnia 
has  been  directed  against  the  Servian  Orthodox  people.  The 
Servian  Mohammedans  are  not  feared  because  of  their 
ignorance,  while  their  fatalism  renders  them  docile.  On  the 
contrary,  however,  the  local  Government  of  Bosnia  fears  those 
professing  the  Orthodox  faith,  and,  having  established  the 
Jesuits  solidly  in  the  country,  have  proceeded  upon  a  course 
of  systematic  persecution.  Austrian  methods  are  too  apparent 
all  over  the  Balkans.  Unscrupulous  to  a  degree,  her  policy 
in  Bosnia  has  been  one  of  terror,  of  espionage,  of  famine,  and 
of  assassination.  In  truth  it  is  accomplishing  the  moral  and 
material  ruin  of  a  splendid  country,  the  crushing  of  the  noble 
Servian  race  which  has,  alas  !  fallen  beneath  its  hand. 

At  first  I  was  inclined  to  doubt.  The  Serb  is  a  patriot, 
sometimes  given  to  exaggeration.     But  very  quickly,  as  the 


SOME  REVELATIONS  103 

result  of  my  inquiries,  evidences  of  Austria's  evil  rule  were 
apparent  on  every  hand.  To  go  into  a  mass  of  detail  is  not 
within  the  province  of  this  record  of  inquiry,  neither  do  I  wish 
to  scream  hysterical  condemnations.  I  went  to  the  Balkans, 
not  for  sight-seeing,  but  seeking  to  penetrate  some  of  the 
mysteries  of  their  politics,  and  their  aims  for  the  future.  I 
travelled  there  in  order  to  have  audiences  with  the  Kings, 
Princes,  and  Cabinet  Ministers  of  the  various  countries  in 
the  Peninsula.  These  were  granted  me,  and  thus  I  obtained, 
at  first  hand,  their  views  regarding  the  present  situation,  and 
their  hopes  and  aspirations. 

In  Bosnia,  both  on  the  Mohammedan  and  Christian  side,  I 
found  only  a  grave  and  grim  story  of  misrule  and  oppression, 
which  it  may  be  well  to  briefly  outline,  in  order  to  show  how 
Austria  rules  the  unfortunate  country  that  falls  beneath  her 
dominion. 

Under  Austria,  the  Servian  Orthodox  Church  is  treated  in 
a  manner  utterly  inconceivable  in  this  enlightened  century. 
Neither  trouble  nor  intrigue  has  been  spared  to  separate  the 
people  from  the  Church.  The  metropolitans  nominated  by  the 
Emperor  have  been  alienated  from  the  people,  with  the  result 
that  at  Mostar  the  head  of  the  Church  is  the  object  of  unanimous 
derision.  No  one  will  attend  his  church  if  he  is  present,  and 
on  passing  him  in  the  streets  they  turn  their  heads  or  hiss. 
Again,  in  Sarayevo  the  metropolitan  is  regarded  with  equal 
disfavour.  The  old  people  refuse  to  receive  the  communion 
at  his  hands,  and  each  day  upon  the  walls  of  his  house  are 
posted  insulting  placards.  To  those  who  know  the  veneration 
with  which  the  Serbs  regard  their  metropolitans,  such  signs  as 
these  show  the  general  demoralisation  brought  about  by 
intrigue  and  the  circulation  of  base  calumnies.  Not  only  are 
the  people  encouraged  to  treat  the  heads  of  the  Church  with 
contempt,  but  they  are  taught  to  hate  the  priests  and  to  scoff 
at  religion.  And  this  by  an  Empire  which  has  the  miserable 
effrontery  to  call  itself  Christian  ! 

Again,  Saint  Sava  is,  as  is  well  known,  the  patron  saint 
of  the  Servian  Church.  He  is  considered  the  protector  of 
churches  and  schools,  and  all  new  churches  in  Bosnia  and 


104  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Herzegovina    adopt    for    their    slava,    or    festival,    the    day 
consecrated  to  Saint  Sava,  January  14  (O.S.).      This  day  the 
Orthodox  Serbs  everywhere  regard  as  a  feast.     In  the  morning 
there  is  a  solemn  service,  and  in  the  evening  the  young  people 
assemble  to  sing  national  songs  and  dance  national    dances. 
But  even  this  has  been  disapproved  of  by  Austria,  who  regards 
the  feast  as  preserving  the  national  conscience.     The  Govern- 
ment commenced  by  prohibiting  the  second  portion  of  the 
fete,   and  then  gradually  suppressing  the  first.     Pressed  by 
the  authorities,  the  priests  each  14th  of  January  are  suddenly 
taken  so  ill  that  they  cannot  perform  the  service,  or  else  they 
are  unavoidably  absent  from  home  on  that  day,  so  that  no 
slava    can    take    place.     In    this    oppressed    country   every 
programme  of  a  fete,  no  matter  what,  must  first  pass  the 
censor,  who  prohibits  the  singing  of  the  old  Servian  songs,  and 
places  a  penalty  upon  anyone  singing  the  "  Hymn  of  Saint 
Sava,"  which  is  purely  a  religious  one.     Again,  in  many  cases 
the  reply  of  the  censor  will  arrive  eight  or  ten  days  after  the 
date   of    the    festival.    Indeed,   in    many  places,   the    slava 
of  private  families — the  domestic  name-day  feast  which,  to 
the  Servian,  surpasses  in  interest  either  Christmas  or  Easter 
— has  actually  been  prohibited  by  the  very  enlightened  local 
authorities  !    This  happened  in  the  arrondissement  of  Rielinski 
quite  recently. 

Of  the  history  of  the  struggle  of  the  Orthodox  Church  in 
Bosnia,  or  of  the  strenuous  Catholic  propaganda,  it  is  un- 
necessary to  speak.  Let  us  deal  with  the  present  deplorable 
state  of  affairs,  and  with  the  future.  Woe-betide  any  heard 
singing  the  patriotic  song  of  the  Prince  of  Montenegro,  "Onamo 
.  .  .  Onamo,"  for  he  will  be  punished  severely.  Spies  are  on 
every  hand,  and  no  man  knows  at  any  moment  when  he  may 
be  thrown  into  prison  upon  some  fictitious  charge.  Austria, 
indeed,  is  endeavouring  to  civilise  and  subject  Bosnia  by 
continued  oppression,  and  nowhere  is  this  more  apparent  than 
in  the  Press.  Like  in  Russia,  every  word  is  subjected  to  the 
censor  before  printed.  One  buys  the  Musavat — the  organ  of 
the  Serb  Mohammedans  in  Herzegovina,  printed  at  Mostar — 
and  finds  every  paragraph  bearing  a  number.     There  are  many 


SOME  REVELATIONS  105 

numbers  with  the  spaces  blank  —  suppressed  altogether. 
Again,  in  the  Servian  Word,  the  organ  of  the  Servian  Orthodox 
in  Bosnia,  one  finds  the  same  thing — numbers  and  blanks. 

This  is  not,  perhaps,  surprising  when  practically  every 
organ  of  the  Press  is  prohibited  save  the  Government  publica- 
tions, of  which  the  Bosniak — an  amusing  journal  fabricated  by 
amateur  journalistic  functionaries  of  the  State — is  a  good 
example. 

Among  the  hundred  and  four  journals  prohibited  are  most 
of  the  Servian  newspapers,  even  commercial,  religious,  and 
literary  reviews;  a  number  of  Hungarian  journals,  including 
the  Duhrovnik  of  Ragusa  ;  every  Russian  journal  of  whatever 
kind  or  description ;  and  last,  but  surely  not  least,  the  Comments 
upon  the  Evangelists  by  the  Metropolitan  Firmilien  ! 

Every  book  or  newspaper  entering  Bosnia  or  Herzegovina 
goes  through  the  censor's  office,  while  the  postal  employes 
note,  and  hand  to  the  police,  the  names  and  addresses  of  the 
receivers  of  prohibited  publications.  So  it  is  not  only  in 
Russia  and  Turkey  where  one  cannot  read  a  foreign  journal, 
but  here,  under  the  enlightened  rule  of  His  Majesty  the 
Emperor  Francis  Josef. 

Bosnia  is,  truth  to  tell,  an  unknown  land  as  far  as  the 
rest  of  Europe  is  concerned,  and  probably  these  facts  may 
come  as  a  complete  surprise  to  English  readers,  who  are  apt  to 
regard  Austria  as  a  Christian  and  progressive  Power,  instead 
of  what  she  is,  the  Ogre  of  the  Balkans. 

To  the  injustices  inflicted  upon  the  peasantry,  to  their 
many  grievances  and  their  violated  rights,  I  have  not  space  here 
to  refer.  Under  such  rule  as  pertains,  the  wretched  condition 
of  the  Serbs  in  the  rural  districts  may  well  be  imagined.  As 
Andre  Barre  has  truly  said,  "  Austria  entered  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina,  not  for  the  purposes  of  reform,  nor  to  civilise, 
but  to  satisfy  a  political  desire,  a  military  ambition  to  triumph 
over  a  people  by  slowly  and  methodically  exterminating 
them." 

"  J'ai  mis  le  pied  sur  la  tete  du  serpent,"  said  Count 
Andrassy,  speaking  to  Lord  Salisbury  after  the  signature  of 
the  Treaty  of  Berlin.     And  those  words  give  to-day  the  key  to 


io6  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

the  Austrian  policy.  She  seeks  to  crush  the  Serbs,  not  only  in 
Bosnia,  but  in  the  kingdom  of  Servia  itself,  and  to  Germanise 
the  whole  land  by  steel  and  by  hunger.  And  such  is  the 
present  pitiable  situation— a  situation  unrealised  in  England 
— a  situation  which  has  actually  called  forth  the  hostile 
criticism  of  the  Vienna  journals  themselves — including  the 
semi-official  Ncuc  Frcie  Presse — against  the  present  barbarism 
of  the  occupation. 

Any  industry  or  commerce  exploited  by  Serbs  is  at  once 
crushed  and  ruined,  while  in  the  police  we  have  vivid  examples 
of  corrupt  maladministration  only  equalled  in  Russia.  The 
police  persecutions  are  scandalous.  Many  were  related  to  me 
by  persons  who  had  themselves  been  victims.  The  Bosnian 
citizen  beneath  the  claws  of  the  police  is  utterly  without 
defence.  If  the  paternal  Government  of  Austria  attempt  to 
deny  this,  let  the  recent  cases  of  M.  Gligorie  Jeftanovitch  of 
Saraj'evo,  M.  Chola  of  Mostar,  M.  Stiepo  Srchkitch,  M.  Ilia 
Duckovitch,  M.  Risto  Maximovitch,  M.  Radoulovitch,  M. 
Nikolas  Pichkakutch  of  Banja-Louka,  and  the  sad  affair  of 
Pierre  DorHatcha  of  Bosnia-Novi,  amid  a  thousand  others,  be 
cited,  to  show  what  travesties  of  justice  are  performed  in  this 
remote  comer  of  the  Balkans.  A  whole  volume,  indeed,  could 
be  written  upon  the  corrupt  Austrian  police  methods  which 
vie  with  those  of  Holy  Russia.  But  it  must  suffice  here  to 
cite  cases  upon  which  no  denial  can  be  offered  by  the  authorities. 

The  Austrian  authorities,  who  are  so  glib  with  their  semi- 
official denials  and  statements,  which  we  see  almost  daily  in 
the  London  newspapers,  will  have  some  difficulty  in  disproving 
the  disgraceful  incident  at  Sokolatz,  near  Sarayevo,  not  long 
ago.  Here,  during  the  Easter  fete,  the  gendarmes  were  formed 
round  the  church  "  to  maintain  order."  A  peasant  saw  one  of 
the  gendarmes  endeavouring  to  outrage  a  young  woman,  and 
ran  to  inform  the  authorities.  Whereupon  the  gendarme 
shot  the  peasant  dead  with  his  revolver.  There  was  no  inquiry 
regarding  the  murder,  though  witnessed  by  at  least  a  hundred 
persons.  And  the  official  account  of  the  affair — which  I  have 
myself  seen — actually  declares  that  the  unfortunate  peasant 
died  a  natural  death  ! 


SOME  REVELATIONS  107 

This  is  but  one  single  case  of  hundreds.  All  over  the 
country  the  police  and  gendarmes  shoot  the  witnesses  of  their 
crimes,  and  there  is  never  an  inquiry.  Of  a  verity  the  barbar- 
ities of  the  police  in  Bosnia  are  a  disgrace  to  a  nation  that 
calls  itself  civilised,  and  cry  for  reform  quite  as  loudly  as  they 
do  in  the  Land  of  the  Tzar. 

Let  the  reader  who  doubts  this  outspoken  condemnation  of 
Austrian  administration  go  to  Bosnia  and  see  for  himself.  He 
will  find  that  I  have  understated  the  facts,  and  things  will  be 
told  him  that  surely  will  stagger  belief. 


CHAPTER    II 
DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE 

How  spies  work  in  Bosnia— Secret  agents  dog  the  stranger's  footsteps — My 
own  experience — Fighting  the  spy  with  his  own  weapons — To  "  nobble  " 
the  foreigner — How  an  unfavourable  book  was  purchased  by  the 
Austrian  Government — Bribery  of  Press  correspondents — A  country 
worse  than  Russia — Some  suggested  reforms — The  secret  policy  of 
Austria  in  the  Balkans. 

SPIES  are  a  necessity  to  autocratic  Governments.  Their 
business  is  to  prevent  the  execution  of  plots,  to  discover 
all  secrets  affecting  the  security  of  the  Prince  or  the  State,  and 
to  supply  information  which  may  be  used  with  advantage  in 
diplomacy  by  their  employers. 

In  Bosnia  one  of  the  largest  items  in  the  national  expendi- 
ture is  the  sum  expended  upon  espionage.  Here,  however,  its 
character  is  very  different  from  that  described  above.  Its  agents 
have  no  work  in  connection  with  political  plots,  for  the  crushed 
and  humiliated  people  are  far  too  feeble  to  conspire  against 
the  State.  Their  nefarious  work  is  simply  to  spread  intimida- 
tion and  suspicion  among  the  inhabitants,  and  to  put  them  in 
defiance  one  against  the  other — indeed,  to  promote  disorder, 
so  that  the  force  of  Austria  may  be  consolidated  upon  them. 

This  secret  stirring  up  of  internal  strife  by  Austria  is  part 
of  her  policy,  not  only  in  Bosnia  but  in  Servia  and  other  parts 
of  the  Balkans.  In  the  kingdom  of  Servia  she  is  especially 
active  to-day.  Indeed,  her  unscrupulous  methods  are  well 
illustrated  by  what  occurred  on  the  assassination  of  King 
Alexander  and  Queen  Draga.  Instantly  after  the  assassina- 
tion Austria  mobilised  her  troops  in  all  the  garrisons  on  the 


DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE  109 

Servian  frontier,  at  Semlin,  Pancsova,  and  Neusatz,  with  orders 
to  enter  Servian  territory  on  the  first  sign  of  trouble.  At  the 
same  time  there  was  sent  into  Belgrade  a  perfect  army  of 
agents  provocateurs — police  spies,  all  of  them — who  promenaded 
the  town  crying  to  the  crowd,  "  Come  on  !  Come  on  !  Let 
us  wreck  and  demolish  the  Embassy  of  Austria,  the  supporters 
of  the  dynasty  of  Obrenovitch  !  " 

The  Servian  people,  fortunately,  hesitated,  though  they  all 
had  good  cause  to  make  a  demonstration  against  their  bitterest 
enemies.  Then  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  intervened,  and 
put  military  guards  at  all  the  Legations.  The  agitators  were 
arrested,  and  at  their  trial  were  proved  beyond  doubt  to  be 
actual  agents  of  Austria,  sent  there  to  create  disorder  and  so 
allow  the  Austrian  troops  to  enter  Servia  ! 

And  as  such,  with  a  strong  protest  to  Vienna,  they  were 
ignominiously  expelled. 

In  Sarayevo  one  half  of  the  population  is  paid  to  spy  upon 
the  other  half.  Ask  any  man  in  Bosnia  or  in  Herzegovina 
his  opinion  of  his  neighbour,  and  he  will  tell  you  to  beware  of 
him,  as  "  he  is  a  spy,  and  will  denounce  you  to  the  authorities." 
Ask  the  accused  about  his  accuser,  and  he  will  tell  you  exactly 
the  same  thing.  The  whole  place  simply  swarms  with  secret 
agents.  In  the  country,  peasants  are  given  cows  in  payment 
for  information  about  their  neighbours,  which  is,  of  course,  very 
often  false.  Stories  are  manufactured  for  the  sake  of  reward. 
Expense  is  nothing.  Agents  follow  you  everywhere — in  the 
town,  in  the  country,  and  even  beyond  the  frontier. 

Oh  yes !  Bosnia,  with  all  her  natural  beauties  of  scenery, 
is  a  truly  delightful  place  under  the  present  regime.  The 
Government  have  their  spies  in  private  houses  in  the  guise  of 
domestics — for,  by  preference,  they  employ  women  and  priests. 
Every  pavement  in  the  towns  carries  a  spy,  therefore  silence 
here  is  certainly  golden.  The  spy  system  is  more  complete  and 
elaborate  than  either  in  Russia  or  in  France,  and  a  good  deal 
more  costly — all  energies  being  devoted  against  the  unfortunate 
Serbs. 

In  such  an  oppressed  and  persecuted  country  it  goes  with- 
out saying  that  the  stranger  is  well  looked  after.     From  the 


no  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

moment  I  crossed  the  frontier  of  Herzegovina,  to  the  moment 
I  left  Slavonia  at  Zimony,  I  was  never  lost  sight  of.  Perhaps 
because  I  was  known  to  be  the  bearer  of  Government  despatches, 
I  was  suspected  of  being  a  British  agent  in  disguise.  My 
passport  was  never  asked  for  until  I  desired  to  leave  Austrian 
territory  and  cross  the  Save  to  Belgrade,  yet  with  the  marvellous 
secret  system  I  was,  while  in  Bosnia,  a  marked  man.  Each 
time  I  strolled  in  the  streets  of  Mostar  or  of  Sarayevo,  a  spy 
dogged  my  footsteps — sometimes  a  man,  sometimes  a  woman — 
and  my  every  movement  was  carefully  noted. 

A  gentleman,  apparently  staying  in  the  hotel  and  speaking 
excellent  French,  volunteered  to  be  my  guide  about  Sarayevo. 
He  was  a  pleasant,  nonchalant  fellow,  and  represented  himself 
to  be  a  commercial  traveller.  I  accepted  his  kind  offices,  well 
knowing  him  to  be  a  spy,  and  was  rather  amused  at  the  idea  of 
the  authorities  providing  me  gratuitously  with  such  an  excellent 
cicerone.  Wherever  I  went,  so  also  did  he.  By  all  kinds  of 
clever  ruses  he  endeavoured  to  discover  the  reason  of  my  visit ; 
and  I,  in  order  to  aggravate  him,  managed  to  elude  his  questions 
and  so  increase  his  suspicions.  In  my  travels  in  various 
out-of-the-world  corners  of  the  Continent  I  have  had  a  wide 
experience  of  spies  and  their  ways,  therefore  I  set  myself  to 
puzzle  my  inquisitive  friend  by  adopting  the  self-same  methods 
as  he  himself  was  adopting. 

This  continued  for  a  couple  of  days,  when  he  gave  me  up 
and  disappeared.  After  that  I  was  watched  by  two  agents, 
who  kept  me  always  under  close  surveillance.  I  was  more 
amused  than  annoyed,  yet  I  confess  I  entertained  constant 
anxiety  regarding  the  confidential  despatches  that  were  in  my 
possession,  to  be  handed  over  to  the  King's  Messenger  on  his 
way  from  Constantinople  to  London  at  the  earliest  moment. 

The  traveller  can  only  reach  Sarayevo  from  three  points : 
from  the  north  from  Bosnche-Brod  or  Banja-Louka,  and 
from  the  south  by  Metkovitch.  The  local  authorities  of  these 
three  places  know  each  traveller  who  passes,  and  to  the 
stranger's  compartment  there  enters  a  pleasant  person  of 
engaging  manner,  who  becomes  his  fellow-traveller,  whihs  away 
the  tedious  hours,  explains  the  objects  of  interest  a   mg  the 


DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE  iir 

route,  and  at  the  same  time  discovers  a  good  deal  about  the 
new-comer.  The  secret  agent  will  discourse  upon  the  peace  of 
the  country,  the  prosperity  of  the  people,  the  impartiality 
of  the  administration,  and  the  rapid  strides  of  progress  being 
made  on  every  hand.  Meanwhile,  news  of  the  stranger  has 
been  telegraphed  to  Sarayevo,  and  when  the  polite  traveller 
has  parted  from  the  stranger,  the  latter  at  once  falls  under  a 
strict  surveillance,  of  which  he  never  dreams. 

Should  you  let  drop  the  remark  that  you  have  come  to 
Bosnia  to  study  the  conditions  of  the  country,  then'  the  atten- 
tion paid  to  you  will  be  prodigious.  Kind  friends,  overflowing 
with  information,  will  be  your  guides  everywhere  :  they  will 
conduct  you  to  visit  the  authorities  ;  they  will  pay  for  your 
cabs,  give  you  luncheons  at  restaurants,  and  accompany  you 
of  an  evening  even  to  the  door  of  your  bedroom,  until  you  will 
think  the  country  a  veritable  El  Dorado.  Strangers  who  come 
to  study  are,  of  course,  dangerous  to  the  Administration,  and 
therefore  are  carefully  watched,  and  treated  with  unsurpassing 
generosity.  Spies  surround  him,  and  the  people,  knowing 
those  spies  by  sight,  fear  to  approach  him.  In  some  cases  a 
peasant  or  a  citizen  has  approached  a  stranger  and  told  him 
some  plain  truths — the  truths  I  have  learnt  and  written  in 
these  pages — and  for  doing  so  has  invariably  been  sent  to 
prison.  These  lessons  have  borne  fruit,  for  nowadays  nothing 
in  the  world  will  induce  the  Bosnian  peasant  to  talk  to  a 
stranger.     He  is  far  too  afraid. 

If  any  serious  criticism  of  Bosnian  administration  is 
published  abroad,  the  authorities  always  seek  to  immediately 
purchase  and  suppress  it,  and  many  are  the  sums  yearly  paid 
in  blackmail  to  unscrupulous  writers  who,  knowing  the  truth, 
threaten  to  make  exposure.  I  will  give  a  case  in  point.  Not 
very  long  ago  there  was  in  Prague  published  a  brochure 
severely  criticising  the  Bosnian  policy,  giving  a  description 
of  the  maladministration,  and  pointing  out  the  disastrous 
state  of  the  finances.  A  copy  of  this  fell  into  the  hands  of 
M.  Stakievitch,  late  director  of  the  administration  of  the 
Bosnian  local  Government,  and  at  that  moment  en  cong/. 
He  at  once  apprised  the  local  Government,  who  immediately 


112 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


sent  Dr.  Hfix  to  Prague,  with  orders  to  suppress  the  pubUcation 
of  the  book  at  all  costs.  The  Government,  after  some  brief 
negotiations,  paid  the  sum  of  100,000  florins  {200,000  fcs.)  for 
the  destruction  of  the  book  and  the  silence  of  its  author  upon 
the  state  of  Bosnian  finance  ! 

Then  on  the  return  of  Dr.  Berx  no  fewer  than  forty  function- 
aries were  arrested  on  charges  of  having  given  information 
to  the  author.  Is  not  this  sufficiently  significant  ?  Every 
newspaper  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  is  well  subsidised,  and 
in  return  is  compelled  to  chant  the  praises  of  the  administration 
of  the  local  Government,  while  all  correspondents  of  foreign 
journals  are  equally  the  recipient  of  money  from  the  State.  In 
Bosnia  the  foreign  newspaper  correspondent  lives  well  and 
grows  fat. 

Thus  does  Austria  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of  Europe. 

With  religion  persecuted,  education  at  a  standstill,  and 
the  Press  either  gagged  or  suborned,  Austria  is  slowly  carrying 
out  her  policy  of  crushing  the  Serbs.  In  Bosnia  you  have  no 
right  to  pray,  no  right  to  think  ;  you  must  blindly  obey  and 
laud  with  flattery  the  very  talons  outstretched  to  rend  you. 
It  is  a  land  where  justice  is  a  farce,  where  lies  are  told  as  truths, 
where  the  police  persecute  and  murder,  where  the  poor  are 
oppressed,  where  the  official  grows  wealthy,  and  where  no 
man  is  secure  from  the  false  denunciation  of  spies  eager  for 
reward. 

Should  it  be  permitted  in  this  twentieth  century  to  one 
European  people  to  crush  another  European  people  under  the 
false  pretext  of  civilisation  ?  The  Bosnians  are  neither 
negroes  nor  red-skins,  but  a  civilised  religious  race,  part  of 
the  great  Serb  nation,  with  the  same  right  to  live,  the  same 
right  to  religion,  liberty,  and  to  justice  as  the  canting 
hypocrites  of  Vienna  themselves.  Why  should  they  be 
exterminated  ? 

So  careful  is  the  local  Government  of  Bosnia  not  to  allow 
the  truth  to  leak  out  that  up  to  the  present  little  has  been 
heard  in  Europe  of  the  plain,  unvarnished  facts  I  have  here 
put  forward.  But  it  is  a  subject  that  will  come  before  the 
public  ere  long,  and  then  we  shall  see  if  the  Powers  will  still 


Sarayevo  :   Bosnia. 


In   Herzegovina. 


DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE  113 

stand  by  and  allow  the  destruction  of  a  people  who  do  not  merit 
the  hatred  of  their  master. 

Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  are  both  rich  countries  ;  the  soil 
is  productive,  the  inhabitants  are  intelligent  and  apt  in  agri- 
culture, industry,  and  commerce.  The  provinces  are  capable 
of  moral  and  material  expansion,  if  such  were  permitted,  and 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  whole  country  should  not  be  peace- 
able and  prosperous. 

Save  Andre  Barre,  scarcely  a  writer  has  up  to  to-day  had 
the  courage  to  frankly  criticise  the  rule  of  His  Imperial  and 
Royal  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  Austria.  So  carefully  are  the 
facts  concealed  by  the  local  authorities  —  who  adopt  the 
self-same  tactics  of  Russia  before  the  uprising — that  strangers 
going  to  Bosnia  see  or  hear  practically  nothing,  and  what  they 
do  see  is  all  rose-tinted.  What  I  have  written  here  is,  however, 
based  upon  my  own  observations,  and  upon  what  was  told  and 
proved  to  me  by  responsible  persons  in  Mostar  and  Sarayevo, 
men  who,  living  under  the  persecution  of  police  and  Govern- 
ment, risked  their  liberty  in  speaking  with  me.  I  have  there- 
fore put  the  facts  plainly,  in  order  that  the  English  reading 
public  may  form  their  own  conclusions. 

The  reforms  urgently  needed  are  many. 

From  the  religious  point  of  view,  what  is  required  is 
effective  liberty  of  conscience,  liberty  of  the  cult,  and  the 
autonomy  of  the  Serb  Orthodox  Church.  From  the  moral 
point  of  view,  the  religions  and  customs  of  the  different  nation- 
alities in  Bosnia  should  be  respected,  liberty  of  education 
should  be  given  as  well  as  liberty  of  speech  and  liberty  of  the 
Press. 

Regarded  from  an  economic  point  of  view,  an  immediate 
solution  of  the  agrarian  question  is  required  ;  a  readjustment 
of  the  unjust  taxes  ;  the  establishment  of  schools  of  agriculture, 
as  in  Servia  and  Bulgaria  ;  liberty  of  commerce  and  industry ; 
and  the  establishment  of  poor-relief  and  poor-houses. 

Many  reforms  are  also  required  in  the  Administration. 
The  citizens  of  the  two  countries  should  be  eligible  for  employ- 
ment in  public  offices ;  the  public  functionaries  should  be  re- 
placed by  a  more  educated  class  ;    the  police  force  should  be 


114       AN  obser\'1':r  in  the  near  east 

purged  and  diminished  ;  the  costly  spy  system  should  be 
entirely  abolished  ;  a  less  corrupt  justice  should  be  introduced, 
and  economy  effected  in  the  present  wasted  finances. 

Yet  how  can  one  hope  for  reforms  from  a  nation  like 
Austria,  who  is  working  daily  and  unscrupulously  to  crush  and 
exterminate  the  unfortunate  Serbs  under  their  rule,  with  one 
aim  and  one  policy,  namely,  to  extend  their  territory  south 
through  Novi-Bazar  and  Macedonia  in  order  to  obtain  the 
port  of  Salonica  ? 

Under  the  Treaty  of  Berlin  the  Powers  have  a  right  to 
interfere.  If  they  would  check  Austria's  advances  southward 
they  should  step  in  at  once  and  claim,  in  the  name  of  civilisation 
and  humanity,  justice  for  poor  persecuted  Bosnia.  If  half 
a  dozen  African  negroes  are  maltreated  by  a  Belgian  rubber- 
hunter  we  throw  up  our  hands  in  pious  horror,  lift  our  eyes 
heavenward,  the  papers  are  flooded  with  "  atrocities,"  often 
manufactured,  and  questions  are  asked  in  the  House.  Yet 
when  we  have  here  a  whole  country  being  vigorously  and 
secretly  crushed  under  our  very  noses,  by  a  Power  who  intends 
to  be  one  of  our  rivals  in  the  East,  we  turn  our  heads  in  the 
opposite  direction.  Austria,  we  say,  is  a  Christian  country, 
and  can  do  no  wrong  ! 

Go  to  the  Balkans,  and  you  will  see  what  I  have  seen.  You 
will  then  realise  the  clever,  subtle  influence  of  Austrian  agents 
in  Montenegro — where  they  persuade  the  pride  of  the  country 
to  emigrate,  themselves  paying  the  expenses,  and  thus  sap 
the  nation  of  its  future  population ;  in  Northern  Albania, 
where  the  priests  in  Austrian  pay  never  cease  to  descant  upon 
the  benefits  of  Austrian  rule  ;  in  Servia,  where  they  are  ever 
stirring  strife  ;  in  Bulgaria,  where  their  spies  are  ever  active  ; 
and  in  Macedonia,  where  they  secretly  encourage  the  Greek 
bands  to  massacre  the  Bulgars. 

Thus  over  the  whole  of  the  Balkans  Austria  has  spread 
forth  her  wings,  and  her  dark,  threatening  shadow  is  now 
across  everything.  The  Austrian  policy,  shown  so  very 
plainly  to  all  who  travel  in  the  Balkans,  is  to  compete  with 
Germany  and  become  the  paramount  Power  in  the  Peninsula, 
and  obtain  Montenegro,  Albania,  and  Macedonia  for  herself. 


DUST  IN  THE  EYES  OF  EUROPE  115 

together  with  the  much-coveted  port  of  Salonica.  From  this 
latter  point  she  already  has  a  railway — constructed  by  the 
late  Baron  Hirsch — through  Uskiib,  and  joining  the  main 
Vienna-Constantinople  line  at  Nisch,  in  Servia.  Therefore 
part  of  the  policy  is  to  lay  hold  of  the  kingdom  of  Servia — 
though  under  the  present  regime  there,  and  with  a  Govern- 
ment so  firmly  established  as  it  is,  there  is,  I  think,  very  little 
to  fear  in  this  latter.  Fortunately,  Servia  knows  how  to  take 
care  of  herself. 

Such  is  the  programme  of  Austria — one  of  extermination 
and  extension.  And  with  these  facts  in  view,  indisputable  to 
every  traveller,  surely  it  is  in  the  interests  of  the  Powers  to 
remain  no  longer  indifferent  to  the  state  of  affairs  in  Bosnia. 

Is  it  possible  that  the  prophetic  words  of  the  Russian 
delegate  Gortchakoff,  speaking  at  the  Berlin  Congress,  will  ever 
come  true,  as  so  many  of  his  prophecies  have  done  ? 

He  said,  "  The  tomb  of  Austria  is  in  the  Balkans." 


SERVIA 


117 


CHAPTER    I 
THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA 

The  diplomatic  circle  in  Belgrade — Studying  both  sides  of  the  Servian  ques- 
tion— Austrian  intrigue  —  113   known  foreign  spies  in  Belgrade  I — An 
illustration  of  the  work  of  secret   agents — Quaint   Servian  customs — 
^  Pauperism  unknown — Servia  to-day  and  to-morrow. 

THE  stranger's  first  impression  of  Belgrade  is  that  it  is  a 
rather  dull  Russian  town. 

Coming  from  Bosnia  and  Albania,  one  misses  the  quaint 
costumes  and  the  life  and  movement  in  the  streets,  the  fierce 
men  with  rifles,  and  the  veiled  shuffling  women.  The  Turk, 
though  he  has  a  mosque  here,  is  unseen.    Y- 

At  Semlin — or  Zimony,  as  the  Hungarians  call  it — the 
last  town  on  the  Austrian  side  of  the  Save,  one's  passport  is 
carefully  examined  and  registered,  not  by  the  Servians,  to 
allow  you  into  the  country,  but  by  the  Austrians,  to  allow  you 
to  pass  out ! 

As  bearer  of  despatches  for  His  Britannic  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment, I  had  no  difficulty  either  with  passport  or  luggage  ; 
otherwise,  with  the  Customs  War  raging,  I  might  have  suffered 
considerable  delay.  Crossing  the  river,  I  ere  long  found  myself 
in  comfortable  quarters  in  the  Grand  Hotel  in  Belgrade — 
comfortable  indeed  after  the  rough  life  and  hard  fare  in 
Northern  Albania. 

My  letters  of  introduction  having  been  presented  to  the 
Servian  Cabinet  Ministers  and  members  of  both  political 
parties,  and  having  called  upon  Mr.  Beethom  Whitehead,  the 
newly  appointed  British  Minister,  I  quickly  found  myself  in 
the  centre  of  a  very  smart  and  merry  diplomatic  circle. 


120  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

To  His  Excellency  M.  Nicholas  Pachitch, — the  Premier  and 
strongest  man  in  Servia ;  to  Madame  Pachitch ;  to  His 
Excellency  Dr.  Milenko  Vesnitch,  Minister  of  Justice ;  to 
Madame  \'esnitch,  an  American  and  one  of  the  most  charming 
and  beautiful  ladies  in  Belgrade  ;  to  M.  Stoyanovitch, 
Minister  of  Commerce  ;  to  Commandant  Yossiphovitch, 
aide-de-camp  to  His  Majesty ;  to  Colonel  Tcholak-Antich, 
the  Ro\'al  Marcciial  ;  to  the  Minister  of  Finance ;  to 
M.  Drago  Yankovitch  of  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  ; 
to  Mr.  Alexander  Yovitchitch,  late  Servian  Minister  in 
London  ;  to  Colonel  Christich,  his  wife,  an  Irish  lady,  and 
Miss  Annie  Christich  ;  to  Mr.  C.  L.  Blakeney  of  the  British 
Legation  ;  and  also  to  Mr.  Beethom  Whitehead,  the  British 
Minister,  and  Mrs,  Whitehead,  I  owe  a  deep  debt  of 
gratitude  for  their  kindness  to  me  socially,  and  their  invalu- 
able assistance  during  my  inquiries. 

There  are  but  few  English  in  Belgrade — not  more  than  two 
or  three  residents.  But  at  the  hotel  I  was  fortunate  in  finding 
my  friend  Mr.  A.  M.  Tucker,  Servian  Consul-General  in  London, 
who  with  his  wife  was  in  Belgrade  in  connection  with  a 
financial  undertaking,  Mr.  Tucker  is  an  official  who  has 
rendered  many  services  to  the  Servian  Government. 

Moving  in  the  official  set,  I  was  soon  able  to  see  for  myself 
the  social  life  in  Belgrade,  which  I  found  very  bright  and  very 
entertaining.  In  the  mornings  the  streets  are  filled  with 
well-dressed  ladies  and  gallant  officers,  in  perhaps  the  smartest 
uniforms  in  Europe.  The  hour  of  the  siesta  is  from  one  till 
three,  then  at  five  the  cafes  overflow  till  seven.  Someone  is 
always  giving  a  dinner  or  reception,  and  bridge  is  played 
everywhere ;  for  in  no  other  city  in  Europe  has  it  "  caught 
on  "  more  than  it  has  in  Belgrade. 

The  British  Legation  is,  of  course,  the  smartest  house 
among  those  of  the  diplomatists,  and  that  of  Madame  Vesnitch 
among  the  Cabinet  Ministers.  French  and  Italian  are  the 
languages  spoken  in  society. 

The  city  of  Belgrade  is  in  a  transition  state.  Already  in 
many  of  the  principal  streets  fine  new  buildings  have  been 
completed,  and  many  are  now  in  the  course  of  construction. 


2  y  i^tu^  /o^ 


Vcc.  P.    Va^^^-tcA 


Prime    Minister   of    Servia. 


THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA  121 

The  roads,  it  must  be  said,  are  execrably  paved,  so  uneven 
that  driving  is  a  torture.  But  the  reason  they  have  not  been 
repaved  during  the  present  regime  is  because  a  new  drainage 
system  is  about  to  be  carried  out,  and  when  this  is  done  they 
will  be  asphalted  and  converted  into  boulevards.  The  natural 
situation  of  "  Beograd  " — or  the  White  Fortress — is  magni- 
ficent, high  up  on  a  hill  at  the  junction  of  the  Save  and  the 
Danube.  Behind  rises  the  extinct  volcano  of  Avala,  where, 
according  to  one  tradition,  a  great  treasure  is  hidden,  and  to 
another  that  the  mountain  is  rich  in  gold  and  silver  deposits. 

The  centre  of  life  in  Belgrade  is  the  gay  cafe  of  the  Grand 
Hotel.  From  five  to  seven  in  the  afternoon  everyone  is  there, 
card-playing,  smoking,  sipping  slivovitza  (plum  gin)  or  drinking 
hock,  and  listening  to  the  excellent  band,  while  the  inner  hall  is 
filled  with  smart  ladies  and  their  cavaliers.  Save  the  peasantry 
one  sees  about  the  street,  the  oxen  drawing  primitive  carts, 
and  now  and  then  a  man  wearing  a  fez,  there  is  little  that 
is  Eastern  in  Belgrade,  save  the  slightly  dark  complexion 
and  cast  of  features  of  the  Servians.  For  the  most  part  the 
women  are  very  handsome,  but  they  seem,  like  most  Eastern 
races,  to  lose  their  beauty  at  an  early  age. 

Though  I  made  it  my  duty  to  hear  and  study  both  sides 
of  political  questions  in  Belgrade,  and  though  I  spent  many 
hours  with  those  in  fierce  opposition  to  the  present  regime, 
I  must  say  that  I  received  on  every  hand  the  greatest  kindness, 
while  everybody  seemed  ever  ready  to  render  me  a  service. 

The  Servians  are  a  highly  intelligent  and  thoughtful  race. 
The  young  officers  in  the  streets  are  not  of  the  ogling,  giggling 
genus  one  knows  so  well  in  Germany,  France,  and  Italy,  but 
though  smarter  in  appearance  than  either  nation,  they  are 
serious,  polite,  and  gentlemanly  to  a  degree.  The  King,  when 
.  speaking  to  me  of  military  matters,  pointed  out  a  curious  fact, 
namely,  that  so  intelligent  was  the  average  Servian  recruit 
that  in  six  months  he  usually  learnt  what  in  France  took  him 
eighteen  months. 

In  feminine  circles  it  struck  me  that  there  was  a  great 
extravagance  in  dress.  I  saw  the  very  latest  Paris  hats  and 
smart,  well-cut  gowns,  which  bore  evidence  of  the  expensive 


122  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

couturi^re  worn  by  the  wives  of  struggling  officials,  and  I 
learnt  that  about  ten  pwunds  was  no  uncommon  price  for  a 
hat.  All  classes  seem  to  vie  with  each  other  to  dress  well,  and 
in  the  brilliant  salons  at  night  one  sees  some  of  the  smartest 
gowns  in  Europe. 

As  regards  cooking,  I  fear  I  cannot  say  very  much  that  is 
favourable.  ^  That  at  the  Grand  is  decidedly  poor,  save  perhaps 
the  dishes  of  delicious  sterlet ;  and  of  the  various  restaurants 
I  tried,  the  only  one  which  reached  excellence  was  that  kept 
by  an  Italian,  one  Perolo,  who  was  for  many  years  chef  to 
King  Milan.  There  one  can  dine  well — if  one  knows  what  to 
order.  The  younger  diplomatists  dine  there  in  a  room 
together,  entrance  to  which  is  forbidden,  save  to  a  few  chosen 
ones. 

The  diplomatic  circle  do  a  good  deal  of  entertaining.  The 
British  Minister  and  his  wife  give  large  dinner-parties  every 
Tuesday,  which  are  very  delightful  functions;  while  each 
Thursday  afternoon  Mrs.  Whitehead — who  is  a  very  charming 
hostess — is  at  home.  The  Foreign  Office  have  certainly  been 
happy  in  their  choice  of  Mr.  Whitehead  to  fulfil  the  very 
difficult  and  onerous  task  of  renewing  diplomatic  relations,  for 
he  is  a  skilled  diplomatist,  and  has  been  for  many  years  in 
St.  Petersburg,  Brussels,  Tokio,  Constantinople,  and  Berlin, 
where  he  was,  until  recently.  Councillor  of  Embassy.  He 
also  speaks  Russian. 

The  Legation  is  one  of  the  most  tasteful  houses  in  Belgrade, 
and  is  filled  with  highly  interesting  collections  from  Japan. 
The  German  Minister,  Prince  Max  Ratibor,  with  his  wife  and 
stepdaughter,  the  young  Princess  Taxis,  also  give  a  good  many 
smart  entertainments. 

The  capital  is,  of  course,  a  hotbed  of  political  intrigue, 
and  all  foreigners  arriving  are  suspected  of  being  secret  agents. 
They  are  watched,  their  correspondence  often  opened,  and 
their  business  in  Belgrade  thoroughly  investigated  and  reported 
upon.  At  first  the  stranger  resents  this  kind  of  thing.  On  my 
arrival  I  found  myself  constantly  watched,  but  as  soon  as  it 
was  known  who  and  what  I  was,  the  surveillance  ceased. 

I  mentioned  the  matter  to  one  of  tlie  high  police  officials. 


THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA  123 

whereupon  he  explained  that  in  Belgrade  alone  he  held  a  list  of 
no  fewer  than  113  known  secret  agents  of  Austria  !  "  We 
therefore  keep  secret  agents  for  our  own  protection.  Can  you 
blame  us  ?  "  he  asked. 

In  the  diplomatic  circle  one  hears  ever5rwhere  a  cry  of 
"  shame  "  upon  the  false  news  which,  being  supposed  to  emanate 
from  reliable  sources  in  Belgrade,  is  really  manufactured  across 
the  Save  at  Zimony  by  irresponsible  journalists  in  the  pay  of 
Austria.  The  Servian  officials  actually  gave  me  the  names  of 
some  of  these  gentlemen. 

In  the  English  newspapers  one  reads  constantly  telegrams 
from  Vienna,  generally  to  that  very  irresponsible  and  sensational 
journal  the  Zeit,  declaring  that  there  are  all  sorts  of  plots  in 
Servia  against  King  Peter.  A  short  time  ago  this  journal 
actually  had  the  audacity  to  say  that  the  Crown  Prince  was 
insane !  Such  telegrams  should  be  read  with  entire  disbelief, 
for  they  emanate  from  certain  Hungarian  journalists  who  were 
expelled  from  Belgrade  on  account  of  the  false  news  despatched 
from  there,  and  now  live  across  the  river  at  Zimony,  whence 
they  continually  launch  their  tirades  against  Servia  and  the 
Servians. 

What  I  read  from  time  to  time  in  the  English  papers 
regarding  Servia  is  so  utterly  opposed  to  the  truth — and  in  our 
most  responsible  journals,  too — that  it  often  utterly  amazes  me. 

There  is  a  scheme  on  foot  started  by  an  English  company 
to  build  a  large  new  hotel  in  Belgrade — which  is  badly  wanted. 
The  Grand  is  full  to  overflowing  all  the  year  round,  and 
strangers  are  nightly  turned  away.  It  is,  I  believe,  intended 
to  build  the  hotel  on  English  lines,  with  a  few  private  sitting- 
rooms  where  the  traveller  can  be  quiet  and  rest  in  peace  away 
from  the  turmoil  and  clatter  inseparable  from  a  huge  garish 
caf6. 

The  streets  are  usually  broad,  straight,  and  if  not  actually 
handsome  thoroughfares,  are  well  adapted  for  improvement 
and  the  erection  of  larger  buildings.  Most  of  the  suburban 
houses  are  of  a  ground  floor  only,  which  strike  the  Englishman 
as  curious ;  for  as  the  windows  are  on  a  level  with  the  street, 
there  is  an  utter  lack  of  privacy  in  family  life.     Servians  of 


124  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

both  sexes.  I  noticed,  are  great  cigarette-smokers,  and  Servian 
cigarettes  I  found  were  the  best  in  the  Balkans. 

The  ploasantcst  promenade  is  the  Kalemegdan,  the  pretty 
gardens  situated  behind  the  old  fortress  which  commands  the 
junction  of  the  Danube  and  the  Save,  while  on  the  bank  rises 
the  Neboyscha  (the  fearless)  tower,  of  which  many  terrible  tales 
are  told  of  the  days  of  the  Turks.  In  the  Kalemegdan,  adorned 
with  bronze  busts  of  Servian  poets  and  savants,  smart  Belgrade 
promenades  every  afternoon  and  admires  the  beautiful  view 
from  the  Fikir-Bair  ("  the  slope  of  dreaming  "),  the  smart 
uniforms  of  the  officers  lending  the  necessary  touch  of  colour 
to  complete  a  charming  scene. 

The  religion  is,  of  course,  Greek  Orthodox,  with  the  inde- 
pendent Servian  Church,  while  the  population  of  Servia  is 
about  three  millions.  Some  of  the  characteristic  traits  of 
the  Servians  are  curious  and  interesting.  Every  Servian 
family  has,  each  year,  its  saint's  day,  and  in  every  Servian 
drawing-room  one  finds  a  small  wood  panel  with  the  image  of 
that  saint  painted  thereon.  The  day  usually  falls  upon  that 
of  some  great  fete  such  as  that  of  St.  Nicholas,  the  Archangel 
Michael,  etc.,  which  are  perhaps  the  two  most  feted.  The 
day  in  question  is  called  the  Slava  (fete  of  the  patron  saint 
of  the  family).  The  saint  feted  by  the  head  of  the  family  is 
also  feted  by  his  wife,  children,  and  servants. 

Some  days  before  the  fete  the  priest  visits  the  house  for 
the  benediction  of  water  placed  in  a  basin,  after  which  he 
sprinkles  with  a  bunch  of  basil  all  members  of  the  family, 
as  well  as  various  rooms,  and  the  image  of  the  feted  saint. 

All  the  household  regard  the  week  prior  to  the  fete  as  a 
fast.  The  eve  of  the  day  of  the  Slava  the  lamp  is  lit  before 
the  image  of  the  saint,  and  is  burnt  for  two  days.  A  couple  of 
days  before  the  anniversary  a  tasty  dish  is  prepared,  called 
the  Koljivo,  mainly  composed  of  wheat,  nuts,  and  almonds. 
Those  families,  however,  who  fete  the  Archangel  Michael  do  not 
prepare  this  cake,  for  the  people  believe  that  the  Archangel 
still  lives,  and  cakes  are  only  offerings  to  the  dead. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fete  the  head  of  the  family  lights  a 
taper,  and  the  priest,  after  a  ceremony,  cuts  a  kind  of  bread 


His   Excellency   Dr.   Milenko  Vesnitch 
Servian   Minister  of  Justice. 


i  THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA  125 

specially  prepared  and  bearing  a  cross ;  after  which  he 
sprinkles  wine  upon  it  and  upon  the  Koljivo. 

Everybody,  from  early  morning,  salutes  the  head  of  the 
family  with  the  words,  "  Sretna  slava  "  (a  happy  fete),  and 
grasps  his  hand.  If  the  visitor  is  a  man,  he  embraces  the 
husband ;  if  a  woman,  the  wife.  The  daughter  of  the  house 
offers  the  Koljivo  to  the  guests,  and  everyone  takes  a 
spoonful  of  slatko — a  kind  of  fruit  preserve — brandy  and 
coffee.  At  noon,  wine  is  also  drunk.  To  the  houses  of  the 
better  class  telegrams  and  letters  arrive  all  day.  In  the 
country  districts  the  day  is  given  up  to  eating,  drinking, 
singing,  and  toasts. 

The  feted  saint  is  considered  to  be  the  protector  of  the 
family,  to  whom  daily  prayers  are  said  and  mediation  asked 
with  the  Almighty. 

Next  to  the  Slava,  the  fete  most  widely  celebrated  is 
Christmas.     There  is  a  Servian  couplet  that  runs — 

"As  there's  no  day  without  light, 
So  there's  no  rejoicing  without  the  Servian  Christmas." 

After  a  long  fast,  the  Servian  people  await  Christmas 
impatiently.  It  is  a  day  of  feasting  in  the  whole  country. 
Two  days  before  Christmas  Day — old  style,  of  course — roasts 
are  prepared,  consisting  of  a  lamb  and  a  sucking-pig.  On 
the  morning  of  Christmas  Eve  one  of  the  boys  of  the  family 
goes  into  the  forest  and  cuts  the  Christmas  log  or  Badgnak 
— a  usage  which  was  recognised  in  the  old  days  in  France. 
Choosing  a  young  tree,  he  recites  a  prayer  and  cuts  it  down, 
while  another  lad  is  careful  that  the  first  branch  cut  does  not 
fall  to  the  ground.  He  clutches  hold  of  it,  and  it  is  placed 
in  the  milk,  so  that  good  cream  shall  be  produced,  or  upon  the 
beehive,  that  the  bees  may  bring  good  honey.  The  bringing 
home  of  the  Christmas  log  is  attended  by  many  quaint  cere- 
monies. 

That  evening,  while  the  family  is  at  supper — which  mostly 
consists  of  fruits — the  head  of  the  house  takes  three  nuts  in 
his  right  hand,  and  throwing  them  towards  the  east  exclaims, 
"  In  the  name  of  the  Father";  then  three  others,  which  he 


ij6  an  OHSERVER  in  THE  NEAR  EAST 

tlirows  to  the  west  saying,  "  and  of  the  Son  "  ;  and  then  three 
others  he  throws  to  the  north,  adding,  "  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Then  with  three  others  he  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and 
throwing  them  to  the  south,  exclaims  "  Amen." 

With  the  dawn  of  Christmas  Day  visits  commence,  the 
first  person  generally  to  arrive  being  a  young  man  neighbour, 
known  as  the  polaznik.  He  embraces  the  master  of  the 
house,  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  the  Yule-log,  and  wishes 
good  luck  to  the  household.  In  the  Christmas  cake  is  placed 
a  piece  of  money,  and  the  person  to  whom  it  falls  will  have  good 
fortune  all  the  year. 

The  Easter  feast  comes  third  with  the  Servians,  and  is  a 
great  occasion  for  egg-breaking,  one  egg  being  broken  against 
the  other.  Each  visitor  receives  an  egg,  and  the  fete  lasts 
three  days.  The  gipsies,  of  whom  there  are  very  many  in  the 
Balkans,  go  from  house  to  house  at  Easter,  singing  and  wishing 
good  fortune  to  the  householders,  receiving,  of  course,  money 
in  return  for  their  good  wishes. 

There  is  also  an  extraordinary  institution  among  the 
Servians  called  the  fohratime.  It  often  occurs  that  two 
persons  of  the  same  sex  love  one  another  very  dearly,  and 
regret  that  they  are  not  allied  by  relationship.  In  such  a 
case  they  go  through  a  solemn  ceremony,  and  become  pohra- 
iimcs,  or  brothers  by  election.  It  is  the  same  with  both 
sexes.  In  many  cases  religion  or  nationality  does  not  count, 
for  there  are  numbers  of  cases  where  a  Serb  has  chosen  for 
pohratime  a  Turk  or  an  Albanian.  In  some  cases  the  ceremony 
is  a  grave  and  solemn  one  before  a  priest.  Sometimes,  indeed, 
the  two  persons  make  a  slight  cut  in  each  other's  hands,  and 
suck  each  other's  blood,  so  becoming  blood  relations.  This 
custom  is,  strangely  enough,  very  prevalent  among  the  more 
savage  of  the  African  tribes.  The  pobraiimes  remain  faithful 
and  devoted  one  to  the  other  until  death. 

Belgrade  resembles  no  other  European  capital  for  several 
reasons.  There  are  no  poor  quarters  of  squalor  and  misery, 
and  pauperism  is  unknown.  During  the  whole  time  I  was  in 
the  capital  not  a  single  person  solicited  alms.  During  the 
last  thirty  years  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city  has  quadrupled 


His    Excellency   Costa    Stoyanovitch, 
Servian    Minister    of   Commerce. 


THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA  127 

in  value.  Each  house  is  generally  occupied  by  one  family,  and 
almost  every  house  has  a  pretty  garden  or  courtyard.  ,  For 
many  years  there  has  been  constant  rebuilding,  and  nowadays 
houses  are  usually  built  of  brick  in  preference  to  stone — although 
there  is  a  Brick  Trust  in  the  country.  A  good  granite  is  also 
employed,  and  the  new  buildings  are  mostly  ornate  and 
handsome. 

Modern  Belgrade  is  well  planned.  The  Rue  Terasia  and 
the  Rue  Prince  Michel  run  on  the  highest  part  of  the  plateau 
and  form  the  main  artery  of  traffic,  while  from  these  two 
streets  diverge  other  thoroughfares,  on  the  one  side  leading  to 
the  Danube,  and  on  the  other  to  the  Save. 

Viewed  from  the  Danube,  the  panorama  of  Belgrade  is  a 
fine  and  imposing  one.  A  commodious  quay  is  badly  re- 
quired for  the  ever-increasing  river  traffic,  but  plans  have 
already  been  prepared,  and  shortly  the  work  will  be  put  in 
hand.  High  above  the  river  runs  the  pleasant  promenade  in 
the  Kalemegdan  Gardens,  leading  to  the  old  fortress  with 
its  time-mellowed  red  brick  bastions,  now  turned  into  a  prison. 
The  position  of  the  city  is  certainly  well  adapted  to  expand 
into  a  really  fine,  handsome  capital,  as  it  must  become 
in  the  near  future.  It  is  the  centre  of  intellectual  life  of 
Servia.  The  Library  and  Museum  testify  to  the  literary 
tastes  of  the  Servians.  The  Museum  is  very  rich  in  antiques, 
and  contains  a  highly  interesting  numismatic  collection. 
Both  science  and  art  are  well  cultivated  in  the  Servian  capital, 
which  is  also  the  headquarters  of  the  Metropolitan  Archbishop, 
the  courts  of  Cassation  and  of  Appeal,  the  l^tat  Major,  the 
Military  School,  the  Faculties,  and  the  Ecclesiastical  School. 

The  capital  of  Servia  therefore  occupies  a  most  favourable 
position,  and  is  designed  to  become  a  very  important  centre  of 
commerce.  Its  situation  being  at  the  junction  of  the  Save  and 
the  Danube,  at  the  head  of  the  railway  which  unites  the 
European  capitals  with  the  Black  Sea  ports,  as  well  as  with 
Salonica  and  Constantinople,  it  cannot  fail  to  be  the  gate  of 
the  whole  commerce  of  the  Orient.  It  is,  indeed,  the  Gateway 
of  the  East. 

Nisch,  in  the  south,  is  the  town  second  in  importance. 


1^8  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

III  1S74  it  conLiiiu'd  (Mily  12,000  population,  while  to-day  it 
has  more  than  30,000  inhabitants.  Standing  as  it  does  at  the 
junction  of  the  Oriental  with  the  European  railways,  all  the 
merchandise  to  or  from  Turkey  passes  through  it  :  either  by 
way  of  Sofia,  or  by  Uskiib  and  Macedonia.  The  old  Turkish 
quarter  has  been  recently  destroyed,  wide  streets  built,  and 
the  town  thorouglily  modernised  and  brought  up  to  date, 
while  there  are  several  comfortable  hotels.  The  country 
around  Nisch  is  noted  for  its  excellent  light  wines,  which, 
having  tasted,  I  can  recommend.  In  Nisch,  as  in  many  other 
parts  of  Servia,  there  are  many  openings  for  the  profitable 
employment  of  British  capital. 

The  Servian  Government  is  anxious  to  promote  commerce 
and  industry  throughout  the  kingdom.  It  is  ready  to  give 
facility  and  encouragement  to  foreigners — and  especially  the 
English — to  exploit  the  wealth  that  undoubtedly  abounds, 
and  it  will  treat  them  honestly,  justly,  and  well. 

Country  life  presents  many  interesting  features.  The 
Servian  is  much  more  industrious  than  the  Roumanian  or  the 
Bulgar,  and  consequently  is  much  more  the  master  of  his  own 
household.  The  house  of  the  Servian  peasant  is  generally 
constructed  of  brick,  situate  in  the  valleys  and  ravines,  and  is 
usually  of  one  storey  only.  There  are  generally  three  or  four 
rooms,  the  larger  one  being  used  as  a  common  sitting  and 
dining  room.  The  furniture  of  the  common  room  is  very 
simple — a  table,  chairs,  and  settle  and  wardrobe ;  while  upon  the 
whitewashed  walls  are  coloured  religious  prints.  The  other 
rooms  are  covered  with  bright-coloured  Servian  carpets,  and  in 
some  villages  of  the  Machva  and  the  valley  of  the  Morava — 
where  the  peasants  appear  to  live  in  greater  comfort — I  found 
Viennese  bent-wood  furniture.  In  the  poorer  districts  the 
house  often  consists  of  one  room  only,  and  is  often  constructed 
by  the  peasant  himself.  Each  house  has  its  little  garden, 
cultivated  by  the  women  or  the  old  folk,  where  vegetables  are 
grown,  more  especially  cabbages,  of  which  there  is  a  great 
consumption  in  various  forms,  often  preserved  as  a  kind  of 
choucroute.  Fresh-water  fish  is  also  a  staple  article  of  diet, 
while  caviare  too  is  plentiful. 


THE  TRUTH  ABOUT  SERVIA 


129 


In  my  journey  through  Servia  I  was  struck  by  the  prosperity 
of  the  peasant  and  his  high  intelhgence  everywhere.  The 
country,  especially  in  the  more  mountainous  districts,  is  most 
picturesque,  and  the  quaint  costumes  of  both  sexes  are  highly 
interesting.  Time  was  when  there  were  many  brigands  in 
the  more  remote  districts.  An  officer  of  my  acquaintance 
who  has  explored  practically  every  corner  of  Servia  told  me  an 
amusing  episode  that  quite  lately  occurred  to  him.  He  was 
riding  one  day  in  the  mountains  in  a  far  remote  part  of  Servia, 
many  miles  from  a  town,  when  he  overtook  a  rather  evil- 
looking  man,  who  scowled  at  him.  He  passed  the  time  of  day 
and  inquired  the  road  to  his  destination.  Then  he  added, 
"  I've  heard  there  are  brigands  round  about  here.     Is  it  true  ?  " 

"  Brigands  !  "  exclaimed  the  man.  "  Well,  we  used  to  be 
brigands.  But  nowadays  the  law  is  so  strict  that  I  and 
my  comrades  have  given  it  up  !  " 

The  costume  of  the  Servian  peasant-women  is  quaint  and 
of  interest.  It  consists  of  an  ample  skirt  of  wool  or  silk  and  a 
corset  on  which,  over  the  chest,  is  placed  a  piece  of  white  gauze 
crossed.  Over  this  is  a  kind  of  bolero  of  tanned  skin  with  the 
fur  inside,  cut  lower  than  the  waist  at  the  back,  and  open  in 
front.  Upon  it  are  often  gold  or  silver  embroideries.  Upon 
the  head  is  worn  a  small  scarlet  fez,  around  which  the  plaited 
hair  is  coiled.  The  fez  is  often  embroidered  with  seed  pearls, 
which  descend  from  generation  to  generation  and  are  often 
worth  twenty  to  thirty  pounds.  Then,  lastly,  there  is  the 
apron,  which  is  part  of  the  national  costume,  and  is  of  wool, 
hand-embroidered  in  gay  colours,  many  of  them  being  of  quaint 
and  original  design* 

In  the  towns  both  men  and  women  now  adopt  European 
costume.  In  the  country  every  peasant  possesses  a  gun,  and 
shooting  as  they  do  from  childhood,  they  are  mostly  very  fine 
shots.  They  love  the  chase,  and  shoot  everything  they  can, 
for  the  country  is  fuU  of  aU  kinds  of  birds  and  animals. 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  superstition  among  the  peasants, 
who  are  an  imaginative  people,  who  believe  in  vampires,  evil 
spirits,  and  witches,  and  have  many  extraordinary  legends  and 
sayings  concerning  them. 
9 


CHAPTER    II 

AN  AUDIENCE  OF   KING  PETER 

At  the  New  Konak — I  sign  His  jMajesty's  birthday-book — The  audience- 
chamber — King  Peter  greets  me,  and  we  chat  over  cigarettes — My 
private  audience — His  Majesty  and  EngUsh  capitalists — Great  openings 
for  British  enterprise — The  King  gives  me  some  instances  of  pajdng 
concerns,  and  tells  me  many  interesting  facts — His  Majesty  invites  me 
to  return. 

AS  I  drove  into  the  wide  gates  of  the  New  Konak  one 
evening  in  November  to  have  private  audience  of  His 
Majesty  King  Peter  of  Servia,  sentries  saluted,  idhng  detectives 
bowed,  and  the  Hues  of  blue-and-gold  servants  drawn  up  in  the 
entrance  all  bent  low  with  one  accord.  The  royal  palace  is, 
indeed,  well  guarded. 

In  the  large  inner  hall  was  a  wide  horseshoe  staircase, 
which  I  ascended.  On  every  hand  was  a  regal  splendour, 
all  in  excellent  taste  and  all  very  new,  for  the  palace  built  by 
King  Milan  has  been  renovated  since  1903,  when  the  former 
royal  residence  of  such  tragic  memory  was  pulled  down.  Its 
site  is  now  a  pretty  lawn. 

At  the  head  of  the  stairs  the  Royal  Marechal,  Colonel 
Tcholak-Antich,  a  young  man  in  bright  blue  uniform  and 
many  decorations,  met  me.  With  the  usual  etiquette  he  told 
me  his  name,  I  told  him  mine,  and  we  shook  hands.  Then 
he  said,  "  His  Majesty  is  anxious  that  you  should  sign  his 
birthday  book,"  and  he  led  me  to  the  big  council-chamber, 
where  at  the  head  of  the  table  he  opened  a  beautiful  book, 
which  I  signed  upon  the  proper  page. 

I  was  at  once  conducted  to    the  audience-chamber,  the 

130 


H 


H 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  KING  PETER  131 

double  doors  of  which — to  prevent  eavesdroppers — were 
closed  behind  me,  and  I  was  left  alone  to  await  His  Majesty. 
The  room,  of  fine  dimensions,  seemed,  under  the  myriad  electric 
lamps,  ablaze  with  gold.  The  beautiful  gilt  furniture  showed 
well  against  the  carpet  of  crushed-strawberry,  the  damask  of 
the  upholstery  matching  the  carpet  and  being  brocaded  with 
gold.  Several  fine  modern  paintings  were  upon  the  walls, 
and  in  the  centre  of  the  magnificent  apartment  a  large  settee 
and  several  fine  gilt  chairs  set  against  a  big  gilt  Renaissance 
table. 

Scarce  had  I  time  to  glance  at  my  surroundings  when 
the  long  white  folding-doors  at  the  end  of  the  room  opened, 
and  there  entered  a  slim,  alert  figure  in  a  dark  blue  military 
uniform — a  keen,  dark-eyed,  grey-moustached  man  with  a 
pleasant  smile  and  hand  outstretched — His  Majesty. 

I  made  my  obeisance,  and  took  the  proffered  hand. 
"  Come,"  said  the  King  kindly  in  French,  seating  himself  at 
the  table,  and  motioning  me  to  a  chair  opposite  him.  "  Well," 
he  commenced,  "  you  know  I  have  lived  in  London,  and  I 

have  heard  of  you,"-  Monsieur  N ,"  and  he  went  on  to  say 

some  highly  gratifying  words  concerning  myself;  then 
producing  a  big  silver  box  of  most  excellent  Servian  cigarettes, 
gave  me  one,  held  the  match  for  me,  and  also  smoked  himself. 
He  was,  I  noticed,  quick,  smart,  and  shrewd,  with  both  figure 
and  bearing  that  greatly  reminded  me  of  Lord  Roberts,  his 
general's  dark  undress  uniform  being  relieved  by  one  touch  of 
colour,  the  crimson-and-white  ribbon  and  white  enamelled 
star  of  Karageorge. 

Then,  when  we  were  comfortably  settled,  I  explained  to 
him  my  reasons  for  visiting  the  Balkans. 

"  You  are  very  welcome  here  in  Servia,"  His  Majesty 
said.  "  You  have  been  kind  enough  to  say  generous  things 
about  our  country.  All  we  ask  of  you  is  not  to  flatter  us — only 
inquire  the  truth  for  yourself.  We  Servians  have  our  faults — 
all  nations  have.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  we  are  a 
young  nation — like  France  was  after  the  war  of  1870.  The  Press 
of  Europe  have  not  been  altogether  fair  to  us,  for  very  many 
false  statements  have  been  published   regarding  our  people. 


132  AN  OHSRRVKR  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

and  inysolf  pcisiHially.  J>ut  how  could  they  be  contradicted  ? 
We  oiiiy  wish  the  organs  of  the  Britii^h  Press  would  tell  the  truth 
regarding  Servia.  We  have  enemies — who  has  not  ?  But  our 
policy  is  one  of  peace,  and  our  earnest  endeavour  is  to  develop 
the  great  resources  of  our  country.  Servia  is,  as  you  know, 
one  of  the  richest  mineral  countries  in  Europe." 

"  I  presume  your  Majesty's  Government  will  grant  con- 
cessions for  the  working  of  mines,  or  for  other  industrial 
enterprises  ?  " 

"  Most  readily.  But  only  to  responsible  persons,  who  can 
show  their  earnestness  and  that  capital  is  at  their  command. 
Of  late  we  have  had  many  concession-hunters  here  from 
various  parts  of  Europe,  but  the  majority  have  gone  empty 
away  because  they  were  discovered  to  be  mere  speculators. 
No.  Our  urgent  desire  is  that  your  British  capitalists  should 
come  here  and  study  matters  for  themselves." 

"  I  believe  some  mines  are  already  being  worked  by  foreign 
capital  ?  "  I  remarked. 

"  Certainly — and  very  wealthy  they  are  too.  Take  the 
Bor  copper  mine,  for  instance.  I  visited  it  myself  this  year. 
The  500-franc  shares  are  now  at  3000  francs,  and  the  output 
will  shortly  be  enormous.  They  have  recently  discovered 
in  the  workings  traces  that  the  ancient  Romans  had  been 
there.  It  will,  so  experts  say,  be  found  to  be  one  of  the  richest 
copper  mines  in  Europe.  Besides  copper  we  have  iron,  coal, 
antimony,  and  even  gold — all  of  which  might,  with  great 
advantage,  be  exploited  by  English  companies.  We  invite 
the  English  in  preference,  because  I  know  that  English  com- 
mercial undertakings  are,  for  the  most  part,  solid  and  sound. 
You  English  always  think  well  before  you  commence,  and 
when  you  do  commence  you  go  straight  on  to  success.  There- 
fore any  industrial  enterprise,  or  any  railways — which  we 
want  badly — that  you  may  suggest  to  us  on  behalf  of  British 
capitalists  shall  have  our  most  earnest  consideration.  That 
the  country  is  in  a  settled  state  and  is  prospering  is,  I  think, 
shown  by  our  finances.  Before  1903  there  was  constantly  a 
deficit  on  the  Budget.  In  1903  we  had  over  one  million  francs 
m  excess  of  the  estimates,  in  1904  we  had  five  millions,  and  in 


Royal    Palace  :    Belgi-ade. 


Principal    Boulevard  of  Belgrade. 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  KING  PETER  133 

1905  a  little  over  four  millions.     Our  engagements  are  regularly 
paid,  and  we  have  no  floating  debt." 

"  And  the  future  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  you  want  me  to  talk  politics,"  he  laughed,  raising 
his  hand  with  the  fine  diamond  upon  it.  "  No.  I  make  a 
rule  never  to  do  so.  One  of  our  chief  faults  in  Servia  is  that 
we  gossip  too  much  upon  politics.  You  have  noticed  that,  I 
daresay,  in  the  cafes,  in  the  Legations,  and  elsewhere — eh  ? 
All  we  Servians  are  the  same — in  Montenegro,  in  Bosnia,  and 
elsewhere.  It  is  always  so  with  a  young  nation.  The  future 
of  Servia  will,  I  fervently  hope,  be  one  of  peace  and  prosperity. 
It  shall  be  my  most  earnest  endeavour  to  secure  this  for  my 
people,  so  that  Servia  may  prove  to  Europe  that  she  does  not 
now  merit  the  hard  things  said  of  her  in  the  past." 
K  His  Majesty,  after  we  had  chatted  about  Florence,  a  city 
which  I  found  he  knew  quite  well,  then  told  me  a  very  interest- 
ing fact.  "  We  have  here,  in  Servia,"  he  said,  "  a  most 
wonderful  cure  for  rheumatism — the  Ribarska  Banya.  I 
only  tell  you  what  happened  personally  to  me.  During  the 
Russo-Turkish  War  I  contracted  acute  rheumatism,  and  have 
been  a  martyr  to  it  ever  since.  I  visited  every  watering- 
place  in  Europe,  but  none  of  the  so-called  "  cures  "  did  me 
any  good.  Two  years  ago,  with  some  reluctance,  I  went  to 
Ribarska  and  took  the  cure,  and  from  that  moment  I  have 
never  since  been  troubled.  It  was  miraculous  !  With  my  own 
eyes  I  saw  a  poor  woman  wheeled  there  entirely  crippled,  and 
twenty  days  later  I  saw  her  commencing  to  walk.  I  would 
not  have  believed  it  had  I  not  seen  it  with  my  own  eyes."    "^^ 

For  an  hour  and  a  half  we  chatted  upon  many  things — 
of  London,  of  Paris,  of  Rome,  of  Vienna — for  His  Majesty  is 
essentially  an  up-to-date  man  of  the  world,  as  well  as  a  monarch. 
Sincere  and  yet  humorous,  kindly  and  yet  with  a  hauteur  that 
well  befits  his  military  bearing,  he  struck  me  as  a  man  well 
adapted  to  rule  the  Servian  nation — a  man  who  is  thoroughly 
in  earnest,  and  is  doing  his  level  best  for  the  future  of  his 
nation.  "  We  want  no  external  troubles,"  he  declared  to 
me.     "  We  want  to  be  allowed  to  progress." 

And  when  I  took  my  leave  His  Majesty  grasped  my  hand 


134  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

warmly,  saj'ing,  "  I  hope,  M'sicur  N ,  you  will  return  to 

Servia  often,  and  remember  that  whenever  you  are  in  Belgrade 
I  sliall  always  bo  happy  to  give  you  audience  and  have  another 
chat  with  you.     Bo7i  soir." 

I  bowed.  The  long  white  doors  opened  noiselessly  by  an 
unseen  hand,  and  His  Majesty  was  gone. 

Next  day  an  aide-de-camp  brought  me  the  autographed 
portrait  which  appears  in  these  pages,  together  with  a  very 
kindly  message  from  His  Majesty. 

Not  only  did  I  endeavour  to  learn  the  truth  at  the  royal 
palace,  but  I  went  among  the  people  in  various  towns  in 
Servia,  making  inquiries,  and  I  found  on  every  hand  that 
Servia  was  pleased  and  satisfied  with  her  new  ruler. 
"I"  King  Peter  was  born  on  July  ii,  1844,  at  Belgrade.  A  son  of 
the  reigning  Prince  Alexander  Karageorgevitch.  Educated 
at  Belgrade  and  Geneva,  he  went  to  St.  Cyr  in  France,  and 
afterwards,  during  the  war  of  1870,  volunteered  in  the  French 
army.  In  1883  he  married  the  Princess  Zorka,  eldest  daughter 
of  Prince  Nicholas  of  Montenegro,  with  whom  he  led  a  very 
happy  family  life  until  her  unfortunate  death  in  1890.  For 
about  ten  years  he  lived  in  Montenegro,  but  after  his  wife's 
death  he  went  to  Geneva  for  the  education  of  his  children. 
In  Montenegro  there  is  still  great  admiration  for  him  among 
the  people,  who  have  always  regarded  him  as  one  of  the  Serb 
princes. 

There  were  four  children,  of  whom  three  are  still  living, 
namely,  the  Crown  Prince  George,  now  aged  20 ;  Princess  Helen e. 
aged  1 9 ;  and  Prince  Alexander,  aged  18.  The  Crown  Prince 
after  his  studies  in  Geneva  was  admitted  by  order  of  the  Tzar 
into  the  Noble  Guard  at  St.  Petersburg,  and  on  the  accession  of 
his  father  left  Russia  to  complete  his  studies  in  Servia.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  engaged  in  university  studies,  combined 
with  his.  military  ones.  I  had  an  opportunity  of  meeting  him, 
and  found  him  a  very  smart  and  intelligent  young  fellow. 
Legally  he  is  now  of  age,  and  lately  he  represented  his  father 
at  a  great  national  festivity,  and  acquitted  himself  with 
complete  success.  He  is  greatly  interested  in  all  military 
questions,  and  is  himself  one  of  the  best  riders  in  the  country. 


His    Royal    Highness    Prince    George    of    Servia. 


AN  AUDIENCE  OF  KING  PETER  135 

In  his  domestic  circle  the  King  is  a  model  father,  and  his 
actions  and  views  are  designed  to  promote  in  every  way  a  good 
family  life  among  his  people.  He  leaves  politics  to  his  Ministers, 
who  are  all  of  them  highly  responsible  men,  but  greatly  interests 
himself  in  sanitation,  improvements  in  agriculture,  the  securing 
of  a  better  standard  of  morality,  and  in  all  questions  of  religion 
— in  fact,  his  chief  aim  is  the  advancement  and  well-being  of 
his  people,  which,  he  is  confident,  cannot  be  attained  without  a 
strong  religious  belief. 

Only  a  short  time  ago  he  was  making  a  tour  in  the  country 
when  to  him  came  the  priests  and  authorities  complaining 
that  the  people  did  not  go  to  church.  His  Majesty's  reply  to 
the  priests  was  :  "  If  the  people  do  not  come  to  you,  you  should 
go  to  them." 

From  my  own  personal  observation  of  His  Majesty,  I 
found  him  to  be  exceedingly  active,  both  physically  and  men- 
tally. Though  sixty-two  years  of  age,  he  may  be  seen  every 
morning  at  five  o'clock  out  riding  in  the  environs  of  Belgrade, 
making  inspections  of  military  camps  and  often  gossiping 
with  and  giving  counsel  to  the  lowliest  peasants.  Many  are 
the  amusing  stories  told  of  these  encounters,  for  often  the 
peasants  are  unaware  that  it  is  their  sovereign.  On  one 
occasion,  quite  lately,  he  was  speaking  with  a  peasant  who 
complained  to  him  of  misbehaviour  of  a  subordinate  function- 
ary, and  said,  "  The  King  ought  to  know  it !  "  whereupon  His 
Majesty  replied,  "  Yes,  I  think  so.     I  will  certainly  tell  him." 

His  Majesty  told  me  himself  that  he  does  not  believe  in 
the  old  idea  that  "  the  King  can  do  no  wrong,"  or  that  monarchs 
are  only  "  par  la  grace  de  Dieu."  He  is  of  opinion  that  they 
should  do  everything  to  fulfil  the  second  part  of  the  formula, 
"  by  the  will  of  the  people,"  and  do  their  utmost  for  the 
people  over  whom  they  rule. 

Without  prejudice,  and  without  bias,  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  saying  that  Servia  to-day  is  under  a  most  beneficent  regime, 
and  it  is  hoped  that  her  ruler,  a  splendid  type  of  man  and  an 
up-to-date  monarch,  may  be  spared  many  years  to  realise  the 
high  aspirations  which  he  has  for  the  country  that  gave  him 

birth. 

<, 
I 


CHAPTER    III 
SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS 

Audiences  of  M.  Pachitch,  the  Premier  and  "  strong  man  "  of  Servia,  and  of 
M.  Stoyanovitch,  Minister  of  Commerce — My  friend,  Dr.  Milenko  Ves- 
nitch,  Minister  of  Justice — The  Servian  case  as  I  found  it — Austria 
Scrvia's  arch-enemy — Dr.  Vesnitch  an  up-to-date  poUtician — Undeni- 
able prosperity  of  the  country  under  King  Peter's  rule, 

HE  who  attempts  to  study  Servian  politics  will  find  himself 
engulfed  in  a  perfect  vortex  of  mystery  and  intrigue. 

Politics  occupy  everyone's  thought  in  Belgrade.  The 
Pachitch  Party  is  on  everyone's  tongue.  Be  it  at  the  luncheon 
table  of  the  restaurant,  over  the  card-table  at  the  Grand  Cafe 
at  six  o'clock,  in  the  salons  of  the  Ministers'  wives,  or  at  the 
smart  diplomatic  receptions,  the  gossip  is  always  of  politics. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  secret  agent  is  everywhere,  and  one  hears 
complaints  on  every  hand  of  telegrams  being  noted  and  letters 
tampered  with. 

Having  regard  to  recent  events  and  the  presence  of  a  horde 
of  Austrian  spies,  this  is  not,  perhaps,  surprising.  Though 
Servia  is  undoubtedly  prospering  and  contented  under  King 
Peter  and  the  present  Ministry,  yet  there  is,  of  course,  in 
politics  an  opposition — though  not  a  formidable  one. 

During  my  stay  in  Belgrade,  besides  being  graciously 
granted  private  audience  by  His  Majesty  King  Peter,  I  had 
many  opportunities  of  discussing  Servian '  politics  with  the 
Premier,  M.  Nicholas  Pachitch ;  Dr.  Milenko  Vesnitch,  Minister 
of  Justice;  M.  Stoyanovitch,  the  Minister  of  Commerce;  M. 
Patchu, -Minister  of  Finance;  M.  Andrea  Nikolitch,  Minister 
of  Public  Instruction ;  M.  Yovan  Gyaya,  who  has  formed  the 
new  Radical  Party;   and  many  other  leading  men  of  both 


SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS  137 

sides,  I  very  carefully  investigated  each  question,  in  order  to 
present  to  the  British  public,  for  the  first  time,  the  actual 
truth  of  the  present  state  of  affairs  in  Servia. 

Quite  recently  the  British  Government  resumed  diplomatic 
relations  with  the  Servian  Court,  therefore  it  is  fitting  that 
a  fair  and  unbiassed  statement  should  now  be  put  forward, 
in  order  to  show  Servia  as  she  really  is,  her  aims,  her  aspira- 
tions, and  her  future  policy  in  the  Balkans. 

I  confess  that  I  found  considerable  difficulty  in  forming 
my  conclusions.  The  policy,  however,  which  the  present 
strong  and  level-headed  Government  are  pursuing  is  a  policy 
which,  having  carefully  heard  both  sides,  I  have  no  hesitation 
whatever  in  endorsing  as  the  very  best  for  the  peace  and  future 
of  the  nation.  It  is  strong,  without  being  belligerent,  even 
though  Austria  has  never  ceased  to  annoy,  irritate,  and 
intrigue. 

Balkan  questions  are  both  difficult  and  intricate,  but  I 
will  endeavour  to  describe  the  true  state  of  affairs  as  plainly 
and  briefly  as  possible.  This  work,  though  not  intended  to  be 
a  political  treatise,  would  be  incomplete  without  some  explana- 
tion of  the  mysteries  of  the  politics  of  the  various  Balkan 
countries  I  visited.  Therefore,  at  risk  of  being  perhaps  a  little 
too  outspoken,  I  will  state  the  Servian  case  just  as  I  found  it. 
'-1,  One  of  the  burning  questions  in  Servia  at  the  present  time 
'  is  the  Customs  War  with  Austria.  The  latter  Power  has 
endeavoured  to  ruin  Servia,  but  has  fortunately  not  succeeded, 
even  though  her  emissaries  are  everywhere,  and  many  news- 
paper correspondents  are  undoubtedly  in  her  pay.  For  this 
latter  reason  Servia  has,  for  many  years  past,  been  presented 
to  Europe  in  a  false  light  and  columns  of  untruths  telegraphed 
from  Zimony,  or  Semlin,  the  Hungarian  town  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  Save, 

Briefly,  the  truth  is  as  follows  : — 

Austria — and  with  her  Germany — is  slowly  but  surely 
marching  to  the  East.  One  sees  and  hears  evidence  of  it 
everywhere  in  the  Balkans.  ,  The  extended  talons  of  the 
Austrian  eagle  are  as  apparent  —  and  perhaps  more  so  in 
Servia  than  in  Montenegro.     Servia  bars  Austria's  way  south- 


ijS  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

ward  to  that  nuich-coveted  port,  Salonica.  It  is  therefore  not 
to  Austria's  interest  that  Scrvia  should  be  at  peace.  Un- 
fortunately for  Servia,  the  Occidental  people  view  the  Eastern 
questions  through  the  spectacles  of  the  Vienna  Press,  which 
is — for  the  most  part— inspired  by  the  Austrian  Government. 

.\ustria  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  whole  of  the  Servian  diffi- 
culties. As  long  as  things  went  badly  in  Servia — as  under  the 
regime  of  the  late  King  Alexander — they  allowed  matters  to  go 
on  without  interference,  and  watched  eagerly  for  the  downfall 
of  the  kingdom.  Unfortunate  events  occurred,  as  is  well 
known,  but  to  the  great  dismay  of  Servia's  arch-enemy,  the 
country  has  become  contented  and  is  greatly  prospering  under 
the  rule  of  King  Peter.  For  this  reason,  therefore,  because  a 
prosperous  era  has  set  in,  Austria  has  once  again  sought  to 
stir  discord  and  to  create  troubles  and  difficulties.  At  the 
moment  of  writing  the  secret  police  have  a  long  list  of  over 
one  hundred  Austrian  political  agents  living  in  Belgrade  alone  ! 

How  Austria  seeks  to  compromise  Servia  in  the  eyes  of 
Europe,  and  the  scandalous  methods  by  which  she  is  seeking 
to  attain  that  end,  is  well  illustrated  by  a  telegram  which  was 
supposed  to  emanate  from  Odessa,  but  which  I  have  indis- 
putable evidence  came  from  the  same  source  as  all  the  others 
— an  unscrupulous  correspondent  in  Vienna  in  the  secret  pay 
of  the  Austrian  Government. 

The  amazing  telegram  in  question  appeared  in  the  London 
newspapers  on  January  2  this  year,  and  was  as  follows  : — 

"  The  local  agency  of  the  Russian  Ministry  of  Foreign 
Affairs,  which  for  the  last  twenty  years  has  been  specially 
retained  in  Odessa  as  a  convenient  medium  of  secret 
intelligence  respecting  the  Balkan  States,  is  in  possession 
of  indisputable  proofs  of  the  existence,  notwithstanding 
all  recent  and  official  denials  from  Belgrade,  of  a  widely 
ramified  and  elaborately  matured  plot  for  the  execution 
of  a  sudden  coup  d'dat  and  the  expulsion  of  the  Kara- 
georgevitch  dynasty  from  Servia.  Leading  members, 
civil  and  military,  of  both  the  chief  political  parties 
arc  stated  to  have  joined  the  conspirac)^ 


SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS  139 

"  According  to  this  information,  the  intended  first 
result  of  the  coup  d'etat,  if  it  be  not  marred,  will  be  the 
establishment  of  a  provisional  regency  in  the  adminis- 
trative hands  of  six  or  eight  Ministers.  The  regents  would 
then  take  time  to  prepare  a  comprehensive  explanatory 
statement  of  the  situation  for  presentation  to  the 
Great  Powers,  which  they  would  also  consult  as  to 
the  choice  of  an  alien  prince  for  the  royal  throne  of 
Servia.  They  will  urge  upon  the  friendly  consideration 
of  the  Powers  the  fact  that  the  two  peasant  dynasties 
of  Obrenovitch  and  Karageorgevitch  have  been  fairly 
tried  and  justly  found  impossible  and  incompatible 
with  the  economical  welfare  and  progressive  culture 
necessary  to  the  worthy  attainment  of  Servia's  proper 
political  destiny." 

In  reply  to  this,  the  Servian  Government  nailed  the  lies 
upon  Austria  by  the  following  official  statement,  issued  on 
January  3  from  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  at  Belgrade : — 

"  All  sorts  of  misleading  fabrications  have  lately  been 
issued  to  the  world  by  the  Austrian  Press  for  the  purpose 
of  compromising  the  political  situation  in  Servia,  the 
latest  report  being  that  of  an  alleged  plot  to  exile  the 
Karageorgevitch  dynasty.  Gradually  and  systematic- 
ally the  Viennese  newspapers  have  been  communicating 
to  the  foreign  Press  alarming  news,  injurious  to  Servia's 
good  name,  and  certain  quarters  in  Vienna  consider 
it  necessary  to  reserve  the  fabrication  regarding  the 
exile  of  the  Karageorgevitch  dynasty  as  the  final  stroke 
on  the  eve  of  the  conclusion  of  the  Servian  loan.  The 
Austrian  Press  has  even  gone  so  far  as  to  make  use  of 
prevarications  in  order  to  succeed  in  giving  credence 
to  its  report  regarding  the  exile  of  the  royal  dynasty, 
alleging  they  had  obtained  news  from  the  Russian 
Agency  created  at  Odessa  by  the  Russian  Minister  of 
Foreign  Affairs  for  special  political  service  in  the  Balkans. 
According  to  our  information,  such  an  agency  does  not 
eoen  exist." 


i.|o  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Again,  an  ingenious  gentleman  representing  the  Vienna 
Zeit,  who  hves  opposite  Belgrade,  at  Semlin,  in  Hungary,  and 
fears  to  cross  into  Scrvia,  sent  the  other  day,  not  only  to  the 
Zcit  but  to  the  Daily  Mail,  an  extraordinary  telegram  declaring 
the  Servian  Crown  Prince  to  be  slightly  demented,  and  casting 
all  sorts  of  insinuations  as  to  what  was  happening  in  the 
palace. 

I  chanced  to  be  in  Belgrade  at  the  time,  and  showed  the 
Crown  Prince  the  ridiculous  concoction,  and  we  both  laughed 
over  it. 

"  Bah  !  "  he  said,  "it  is  really  too  silly  to  require  contra- 
diction." 

The  true  fact  is  that  the  young  Crown  Prince,  who  gave  me 
the  signed  portrait  that  appears  in  these  pages,  is  a  particularly 
smart  young  man,  and  not  only  do  his  tutors,  but  also  the 
Cabinet  Ministers  of  Servia,  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  his 
tact  and  intelligence. 

But  to  Austria  no  method  is  too  mean  or  too  unscrupulous 
by  which  to  circulate  false  news  to  the  detriment  of  Servia. 
Ask  any  Servian,  and  he  wdll  tell  you  of  Austria's  machinations 
in  every  quarter. 

Quite  recently  a  Servian  author  wrote  some  libellous  and 
untrue  articles  regarding  the  present  dynasty,  and  was  conse- 
quently arrested  and  condemned  to  imprisonment.  Where- 
upon the  Austrian  Minister  in  Belgrade,  without  asking 
permission  of  the  Minister  of  Justice,  went  to  the  prison  and 
prevailed  upon  the  Governor  to  be  allowed  to  see  the  prisoner 
privately.  Such  action  surely  speaks  louder  than  words  ! 
-  The  Austrian  attitude  was  well  exhibited  on  the  occasion 
of  the  accession  of  King  Peter.  His  Majesty  received  two 
telegrams.  The  first  was  from  the  Tzar,  who  said,  "  I  hope 
you  may  be  able  to  bring  happiness  to  the  Servian  people, 
and  by  doing  so  you  will  receive  my  friendship."  The  other 
was  from  the  Emperor  Francis  Josef,  and  was  certainly  in  the 
spirit  of  dividing  King  and  people,  for  His  Majesty  merely 
expressed  a  hope  that  the  evils  existing  would  be  remedied.    ^ 

Austria's  chief  aim  in  Servia  is  to  estrange  the  people  from 
their  King,  to  create  as  much  discord  and  discontent  as  possible 


SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS  141 

to  crush  the  trade  of  the  country  and  to  keep  her  poor.  As 
long  as  she  believ^ed  that  Servia  was  in  a  bad  position 
economically  and  financially,  things  were  allowed  to  go  from 
bad  to  worse.  But  as  soon  as  an  improvement  was  observed 
in  the  national  prosperity,  a  hostile  policy  was  adopted,  which 
has  rendered  trade  between  the  two  countries  impossible. 

Careful  inquiries  of  the  Servian  Cabinet  Ministers  and 
many  statesmen  of  both  political  parties  show  that  even  in 
the  present  position,  with  Austria  closed  against  her,  Servia 
is  nevertheless  progressing,  and  prospering  more  than  the 
outside  world  ever  dreams. 

The  last  commercial  treaty  between  Austria  and  Servia 
expired  in  1904.  There  was  a  desire  on  the  part  of  Servia  to 
at  once  renew  it,  but  this  Austria-Hungary  was  unable  to  do, 
as  she  was  rearranging  her  treaty  with  Germany.  When, 
however,  the  first  negotiations  were  started,  Austria  made 
very  severe  complaints  regarding  the  Serbo-Bulgarian  Customs 
Union,  and  asked  that  the  treaty  in  question  should  be 
annulled  before  negotiations  for  the  new  treaty  were  started. 
The  Servian  Government,  desirous  of  pleasing  Austria,  replied 
that  in  the  Serbo-Bulgarian  Customs  Union  there  was  a 
clause  to  the  effect  that  if  one  of  the  Great  Powers  raised  a 
protest,  amendments  might  be  introduced.  They  therefore 
suggested  the  postponement  of  this  question,  hoping  that 
Austria  was  satisfied,  and  would  begin  the  poitrparlers.  But 
no  such  thing.  Austria  had  other  aims,  for  very  soon  they 
coolly  declared  that  if  the  commercial  treaty  were  renewed, 
Servia  must  buy  her  new  armament  for  the  artillery  of  the 
Scoda  works  in  Austria.  This  is  peculiar,  inasmuch  as  the 
cannon  in  question  is  not  that  in  use  by  the  Austrian  artillery  ! 

The  reason  for  this  has  been  explained  by  the  fact  that 
certain  members  of  the  Austrian  Imperial  family  were  finan- 
cially interested  in  the  works  in  question.  This,  however,  was 
not  the  real  reason.  There  was  one  far  more  subtle.  The 
true  political  reason,  indeed,  was  that  the  Austrian  Govern- 
ment wished  to  get  a  seat  in  the  "  Autonom  -  Monopol  " 
administration — the  body  which  controls  the  loans,  and  which 
consists  of  six  members,  namely,  one   French   delegate,  one 


1 4-'  AN  ORSliRVKR  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

(imniaii.  and  lour  Servians.  Fiance  and  Germany  were  both 
friendly,  but  Austria,  had  she  gained  a  seat  there,  could  at 
once  have  created  internal  dissension  and  difficulty. 

Nominally,  the  annual  income  from  this  "  Monopol  "  is 
about  thirty  million  dinars,  or  francs,  of  which  twenty  million 
go  to  the  creditors,  leaving  ten  million  at  the  free  disposal  of 
the  Government.  Now  had  Austria  obtained  a  hand  in  this 
administration,  she  would  have  been  able  to  exercise  a  pre- 
rogative and  a  right  of  intervention  in  many  matters  affecting 
the  good  government  of  the  country — a  danger  that  will  at 
once  be  apparent. 

Austrian  intrigue  is  everywhere  apparent,  not  only  in 
Belgrade,  but  throughout  the  whole  of  Servia.  Austria  does 
not  wish  either  a  national  or  a  staple  Government  in  Servia, 
and  so,  because  they  could  not  obtain  their  ends,  and  because 
the  present  Government  voices  the  national  ideas  of  the  whole 
of  the  Serb  people — who  are  as  a  matter  of  fact  spread  over 
Croatia,  Slavonia,  Bosnia,  Herzegovina,  Montenegro,  and 
part  of  Hungary — they  have  pursued  the  Customs  War,  and 
put  a  prohibitive  tariff  upon  everything  in  the  endeavour 
to  close  entirely  the  world's  markets  to  Servia.  The  latter 
has  of  course  retaliated  by  placing  a  prohibitive  tariff  upon 
all  goods  from  those  nations  who  have  no  treaty — a  move 
which  is  of  course  directed  against  Austria,  but  by  which  other 
Powers  must,  for  the  present,  suffer. 

As  regards  England,  the  first  commercial  treaty  made  by 
Servia  after  the  Berlin  Treaty  was  with  Great  Britain,  and 
it  served  as  the  base  of  all  the  other  treaties.  Of  this  Austria- 
Hungary  was  jealous,  and  from  that  time  until  to-day  Austria 
has  done  everything  in  her  power  to  discredit  and  discourage 
British  trade  in  the  Balkans.  In  fact,  so  seriously  detrimental 
has  been  Austria's  influence  against  British  trade  that  naturally 
some  time  must  elapse  ere  the  damage  done  can  be  repaired. 

Meanwhile,  a  new  commercial  treaty  with  England  has 
been  arranged,  for  it  was  in  Servia's  greatest  interest  that 
this  should  be  done.  Every  Servian  I  spoke  to  was  loud  in  his 
praises  of  England,  and  of  English  methods.  Servia  is  very 
anxious  to  export  her  agricultural  produce  to  England,  while 


SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS  143 

in  Servia — now  that  Austrian  imports  have  stopped — there 
are  many  open  markets  for  English  goods. 

Austria  beheved  that  as  all  Servian  exports  were  sent  into 
Austria-Hungary,  Servia  would  be  obliged  in  the  end  to 
accept  their  drastic  and  unfair  terms — the  purchase  of  cannon 
and  other  restrictions.  On  the  contrary,  however,  it  says 
much  for  Servia's  enterprise  that,  though  the  Austrian  frontier 
has  been  closed  during  1906,  yet  Servia  has  exported  all  her 
goods  by  way  of  Varna  or  Braila,  or  by  Salonica,  to  which 
port  a  line  of  rail  runs  from  Nisch.  The  producer  has  felt 
the  Austrian  oppression  but  little,  if  any  at  all.  In  fact,  it  is 
the  opinion  of  many  statesmen  in  Servia  that  it  would  actually 
be  in  the  country's  interests  if  Austria  continues  her  present 
hostile  Customs  policy,  for  it  will  then  compel  the  Servians  to 
look  for  markets  farther  afield,  and  arouse  them  to  take 
strong  initiatives. 

It  should  be  noted,  too,  that  fifteen  years  ago  Austria 
raised  the  same  trouble  with  Roumania,  and  the  Roumanians 
are  now  happily  emancipated  from  the  Austrian  market,  and 
are  consequently  prosperous. 

At  present,  with  the  Austrian  frontier  barred  for  export, 
Servia  must  build  a  railway  to  the  Adriatic.  The  line  from 
Nisch,  vid  Uskiib,  to  Salonica,  though  it  runs  through  Mace- 
donia, is  practically  under  Austrian  control,  and  goods  sent  over 
it  from  Servia  are  subjected  to  high  tariff.  Therefore  there 
is  a  project  afoot  to  construct  a  new  line  from  Kragooyevatz 
across  the  Kopaonik  Mountains  to  Prisrend,  and  thence 
through  Northern  Albania  down  to  Skodra  and  the  Adriatic 
at  the  port  of  San  Giovanni  di  Medua.  An  alternative  scheme 
is  to  construct  the  line  so  that  it  passes  through  Montenegro, 
and  joins  the  line  at  present  being  made  by  an  Italian  company 
from  Antivari  on  the  coast  to  Virpasar  on  the  Lake  of  Scutari. 

One  or  other  of  these  two  schemes  will  certainly  be  adopted 
in  the  near  future,  and  when  the  line  is  completed,  Servia  will 
at  once  be  entirely  independent  of  Austria,  and  secure  an 
outlet  to  the  Adriatic.  Such  a  railway  will  be  of  great  strategic 
importance,  as  will  be  seen  from  a  glance  on  the  map.  I  have 
been  over  parts  of  the  projected  route,  and  certainly  it  will 


144  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

bo  a  ven-  difficult  line  to  construct,  on  account  of  the  wall  of 
mountains  hnng  between  the  Lake  of  Scutari  and  the  Servian 
frontier.  But  its  opening  will  mean  civilising  the  wild  tribes 
of  Albania  and  the  further  cementing  of  the  Serb  nation. 

This  last  point  is,  indeed,  the  chief  line  of  the  Ser\'ian 
Ralkan  p>olicy.  In  my  conversations  -with  the  Premier,  with  Dr. 
Milonko  Vesnitch,  Minister  of  Justice,  and  with  the  Ministers 
of  Commerce  and  of  Finance,  I  found  them  all  in  accord  upon 
the  one  great  principle  of  policy,  namely,  the  preservation  of 
the  great  Serb  nation,  which  consists  of  over  ten  million  persons, 
spread  through  Bosnia,  Herzegovina,  Slavonia,  Kossovo, 
Montenegro,  Ser^-ia,  Dalmatia,  and  many  parts  of  Hungary 
itself.  This  great  population  speak  the  same  language  and 
have  the  same  aspirations,  namely,  the  unity  of  the  great 
nation  whose  past  history  is  such  a  splendid  one. 

The  polic}'  of  the  Ser^-ian  Ministrj^  whether  military, 
economical,  or  political,  is  all  directed  towards  this  one  end, 
and  here  it  may  be  pointed  out  that  King  Peter  is  grandson 
of  the  great  hero  of  the  Servian  people,  the  peasant  Karageorge, 
who  in  1804  raised  the  Servians  against  the  Turks  and  de- 
feated them. 

King  Peter  has  already  given  e^^dence  of  his  patriotic 
sentiments,  not  only  interesting  himself  in  the  nation  before 
he  was  elected  ruler,  but  perhaps  it  is  not  generally  remembered 
that  in  1S75  he  fought  at  the  head  of  his  troop — which  he 
raised  himself,  and  crippled  his  finances  thereby — for  the 
emancipation  of  Bosnia.  In  the  Servian  national  poetry 
there  is  a  hero  called  Peter  Mrcognitch,  the  Protector  of  the 
Poor  against  the  oppressors,  and  it  was  under  this  assumed 
name  that  the  present  ruler  of  Servia  fought.  In  1870,  too, 
he  fought  with  the  French  against  the  Germans,  and  was 
awarded  the  Legion  of  Honour  for  valour  on  the  battlefield. 
Therefore  the  Servians  regard  him  as  a  patriot — as  indeed 
he  is — and  up  to  the  present  he  has  certainly  shown  himself 
an  able,  wise,  and  discreet  ruler,  who  has  the  interests  of  his 
country  very  deeply  at  heart. 

To  refer  to  the  tragic  events  of  the  night  of  June  11,  1903, 
is  unnecessa^5^     ^^  I  can  personally  say  is  that  I  arrived  in 


J  ne   rtoaa  to  tne  r.ast :    i  ne  iast  view  oi   i^urope. 


Yillageps  and  Gypsies  .n    I-jiriavo  iSc 


SERVIA'S  AIMS  AND  ASPIRATIONS  145 

Belgrade  full  of  an  Englishman's  natural  prejudice  against 
the  present  regime,  but  after  careful  inquiry,  not  only  in 
government  and  diplomatic  circles,  but  also  among  the 
adherents  of  the  old  regime,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  though 
drastic  and  cruel,  yet  had  not  those  events  happened  that 
night,  hundreds  of  unfortunate  ones  would  have  lost  their 
lives  on  the  following  morning. 

In  the  regime  of  the  late  King  no  one  was  safe  in  Belgrade. 
Draga  had  her  spies  everywhere,  and  alas  for  those  who 
dared  to  utter  a  word  against  her  or  her  methods  !  Leading 
men  in  the  political,  social,  and  literary  world  of  Belgrade 
to-day  have  explained  to  me  how  they  had  from  day  to  day 
lived  in  fear  and  dread  of  false  accusations  and  arrest,  until 
life  became  so  intolerable  that  many  were  almost  driven 
from  the  country.  These  men  strongly  disagreed  with  the 
methods  of  the  regicides,  but  they  are  now  thankful  they 
are  free. 

The  truth  of  those  black  days  of  spies  and  suspicion  in 
Belgrade  in  the  last  days  of  Alexander's  reign  has  never  been 
told.  Only  those  who  lived  there,  and  only  those  who  hear 
the  truth  from  the  lips  of  responsible  persons,  can  realise  how 
entirely  the  country  was  in  the  hands  of  one  unscrupulous 
woman.  The  journalists  of  Europe  were  horrified  at  the 
methods  by  which  the  Obrenovitch  were  wiped  out,  and  they 
condemned  the  Servians.  Not  one  had  the  courage,  or  the 
inclination,  to  put  the  facts  fairly  and  impartially  before 
the  public. 


10 


CHAPTER    IV 
THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA 

Servia  and  the  Macedonian  question — A  sound  Cabinet — England  and  Servia 
— Appointment  of  Mr.  Beethom  Whitehead  as  British  Minister  very 
gratifying  to  the  Servians — King  Peter  ever  soUcitous  for  the  welfare 
of  the  people — What  the  Prime  Minister  told  me  concerning  the  future 
— The  new  railway  to  the  Adriatic. 

I  MAKE  no  apology  for  the  assassination  of  King  Alexander 
and  his  Queen.  That  matter  is  a  closed  page  of 
Servian  history.  I  only  can  state  what  I  saw  and  heard  in 
Servia,  and  explain  how  I  drew  my  own  entirely  unbiassed 
conclusions. 

One  thing  is  certain,  that  Servia  is  at  this  moment  in  a 
very  much  more  prosperous  condition  than  ever  she  was  under 
King  Alexander.  Having  met  every  one  of  the  Ministers,  and 
spent  many  hours  with  them,  I  can  safely  assert  that,  headed 
by  M.  Pachitch,  quiet-mannered,  sensible,  and  thoughtful, 
they  are,  one  and  all,  a  very  strong  and  intelligent  Cabinet, 
each  member  of  which  is  doing  his  very  utmost  for  the  com- 
mercial development  and  future  welfare  of  the  country  he 
loves  so  dearly. 

There  is  no  poseur  or  political  adventurer  among  them. 
Each  man  is  a  sound,  intelligent,  and  trustful  statesman, 
whose  watchword  is,  as  His  Excellency  Monsieur  Pachitch  put 
it  to  me,  "  Servia  for  the  Servians." 

While  in  Belgrade  I  had  several  conversations  with  members 
of  the  Cabinet,  and  also  with  Dr.  J.  Cvijic,  the  eminent  author 
of  that  most  thoughtful  work.  Remarks  on  the  Ethnography  of 
the  Macedonian  Slavs,  regarding  the  all-absorbing  question  of 

146 


THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA  147 

Macedonia.  Mention  Macedonia  to  any  Balkan  statesman, 
and  he  raises  his  shoulders  and  shakes  his  head.  It  is  a 
problem  that  nobody  can  solve.  I  endeavoured,  however, 
by  dint  of  many  inquiries,  to  discover  in  what  way  Servia 
would  like  the  Macedonian  question  settled. 

Roughly  speaking,  Macedonia  is  divided  into  three  vilayets 
— Kossovo,  Monastir,  and  Salonica.  Now  Kossovo  is  essentially 
Old  Servia,  and  there  is  no  question  that  its  people  are  still 
Serbs.  Yet  here  we  run  up  against  Austria  again.  She  is 
doing  all  in  her  power  to  cause  the  population  to  emigrate, 
and  in  their  place  attracting  Albanians  who  assist  the  Austrian 
propaganda.  As  regards  the  other  two  vilayets  of  Monastir 
and  Salonica,  the  inhabitants  are  Serbs,  Bulgars,  Greeks,  and 
Mohammedans.  Now  it  is  a  curious  fact,  and  one  which 
I  believe  no  other  writer  has  noted,  that  until  two  years  ago 
nobody  spoke  of  any  other  people  in  Macedonia  but  these. 
Suddenly,  however,  Europe  was  made  aware  that  there  was 
still  another  people,  for  the  Koutzo-Vlachs  were,  for  the  first 
time,  mentioned,  and  formed  a  new  element  in  the  already 
mixed  difficulty. 

Now  without  doubt  this  new  problem  was  introduced  into 
the  controversy  by  Germany  for  two  reasons.  The  first  was  to 
create,  besides  the  Mohammedan  and  Albanian,  a  Christian 
Conservative  element  for  the  preservation  of  the  Turk  in 
Europe.  Germany  has  therefore  an  economic  propaganda  in 
Turkey,  and  when  the  time  is  ripe  it  will  be  followed  by  a 
strong  political  one.  She  could  not  count  on  either  Serbs 
or  Bulgars  in  Macedonia,  but  by  this  new  intrigue  she  has 
courted  the  support  of  the  Mohammedans. 

The  second  reason  of  the  introduction  of  these  hitherto 
unheard-of  Koutzo-Vlachs  concerned  the  position  in  Roumania, 
of  which  a  Hohenzollern  is  King.  Until  two  years  ago  the 
Roumanian  patriots  were  occupying  themselves  with  a  propa- 
ganda in  Transylvania,  As,  however,  it  is  a  great  point  in 
German  policy  to  keep  Roumania  within  the  confines  of  the 
Triple  Alliance,  and  as  hostilities  had  arisen  between  Austria 
and  Roumania  on  account  of  the  propaganda,  it  was  necessary 
for  Germany  to  find  a  means  to  occupy  in  some  other  way  the 


i.jS  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

fantasy  of  the  Roumanian  people.  And  so  the  Koutzo- 
Vlachs  were  pushed  forward  as  a  fresh  discovery,  and  the 
King  of  Roumania,  in  a  speech  to  his  Pariiament,  spoke  of 
"  their  brothers  in  Macedonia."  Beyond  this,  all  the  claims 
put  in  by  the  Koutzo-Vlachs  for  the  expenses  of  their  schools 
and  other  things  to-day  receive  the  support  of  the  German 
Ambassador  at  the  Porte. 

From  the  Servian  point  of  view — a  view  that  is  shared 
very  widely  —  it  would  appear  that  the  best  method  of 
solving  the  very  difficult  question  of  Macedonia  would  be 
to  give  the  various  peoples  complete  tolerance — that  is,  to 
give  the  Greeks,  Serbs,  Bulgarians,  and  Moslems  complete 
liberty  to  develop  themselves  for,  say,  ten  years.  After  this 
time  a  plebiscite,  under  the  control  of  the  Powers,  might  be 
established  with  success.  This  would  solve  the  ethnographical 
difficulty,  which  is  really  the  base  of  the  whole  question. 

The  signatories  to  the  Berlin  Treaty  would  do  well  to 
take  the  initiative  in  this  matter,  and  so  end  the  internal 
trouble  which  is  for  ever  a  disturbing  element  in  Balkan 
politics.  Servia  is  very  anxious  to  see  England  interesting 
and  asserting  her  power  more  in  the  Balkans,  and  British 
statesmen  might  well  follow  the  policy  of  Palmerston  and 
Castlereagh.  The  first  British  representative  to  Servia  was 
Colonel  Hodges,  who  in  1837  went  to  Belgrade,  and  very  quickly 
secured  a  predominant  position  in  Servian  matters,  owing  to 
the  unselfishness  of  the  British  policy  in  the  Balkans  and  the 
liberal  ideas  which  England  always  represents  in  the  world. 
The  Servians  therefore  still  look  to  England  as  taking  a  leading 
part  in  the  settlement  of  Macedonia,  and  the  sooner  this  is 
done  the  less  peril  will  exist  in  the  Near  East. 

Since  the  accession  of  King  Peter  many  reforms  have  been 
introduced,  and  on  all  sides  the  Servian  people  express  con- 
tent and  prosperity.  I  will  give  a  few  examples.  For  instance, 
in  the  budget  before  the  King's  accession  there  were  periodical 
deficits,  but  every  year  since,  as  I  have  already  pointed  out, 
shows  a  very  substantial  balance.  Therefore  the  present 
increasing  prosperity  is  apparent  at  a  glance.  The  financial 
market,  too,  shows  how  Servian  finances  stand  in  Europe. 


The   British   Legation  ;    Belgrade. 


The   Knes   Mihajelowa:    Belgrade. 


THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA  149 

This  is  no  doubt  due,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  constitutional 
cautiousness  of  King  Peter.  He  has  inspired  with  confidence 
the  financial  world  in  Paris  and  elsewhere,  for  it  is  well  known 
that  he  is,  before  all,  a  constitutional  ruler,  and  that  his 
Government  will  never  be  anything  else  than  a  constitutional 
one.  Therefore,  by  his  attitude,  he  has  so  improved  the  state 
of  Servian  finance  that  the  future  prosperity  of  the  country  is 
assured. 
^  When  King  Peter  was  proclaimed,  the  Servians  restored 
their  liberal  Constitution,  which  the  late  King,  under  the 
influence  of  his  father,  had  abrogated.  This  has  opened  the 
way  to  the  development  of  the  country  in  every  direction. 
There  is,  of  course,  much  yet  to  be  done.  As  regards  the 
administration  of  justice,  several  excellent  reforms  have  been 
introduced  during  the  present  reign.  Dr.  Vesnitch  is  at 
present  reforming  the  prison  system,  and  is  about  to  intro- 
duce, after  studying  the  question  for  fifteen  years,  a  new 
and  unique  system.  He  is  of  opinion  that  the  prisoners  from 
the  towns  should  be  separated  from  those  from  the  country, 
for  two  reasons.  ^ 

He  declares  that  when  criminals  from  the  towns  commit 
crimes  it  is  in  most  cases  because  they  are  not  sufficiently 
instructed  in  their  skilled  labour.  They  are  bad  workmen, 
and  hence  their  downfall.  If,  however,  they  were  classified 
and  instructed  in  the  prison,  they  would,  when  discharged, 
be  better  prepared,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Prisoners'  Aid 
Societies,  to  seek  an  honest  hving.  Again,  the  second  reason 
is  that  the  influence  of  town-bred  prisoners  upon  those  from 
the  country  is  always  an  evil  one,  and  should  at  all  times  be 
avoided.  The  Servian  Government  have  adopted  the  Minister's 
point  of  view,  and  fresh  prisons  are  to  be  constructed  upon  that 
basis. 

Another  reform  about  to  be  introduced  by  Dr.  Vesnitch  is 
that  of  "  conditional  release."  It  is  intended  to  preserve 
first  offenders  from  the  demoralising  influence  of  prison  life, 
and  to  create  a  good  moral  influence  over  those  who  commit  a 
crime  for  the  first  time.  In  a  word,  the  Servian  project  seeks 
to  conciliate  the  English  method  with  the  French  Loi  Beranger. 


150  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

ill  all  the  (Uliof  administrations — public  instruction,  war, 
tinanre.  and  agriculture — many  other  reforms  have  been  intro- 
duced, and  many  are  in  course  of  preparation.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  until  two  years  ago  Servia  had  no  University,  but  at 
present  an  excellent  institution  has  been  established,  the  pro- 
fessors of  which  rank  well  with  those  of  other  nations. 

In  the  department  of  war,  a  very  important  reform  is 
about  to  be  carried  out,  namely,  the  rearmament  of  the 
artillery.  This  is,  of  course,  a  wide  subject,  and  time  must 
elapse  before  the  defences  of  the  country  are  in  an  absolutely 
perfect  state.  Suffice  it,  however,  to  say  that  the  Ministers 
of  War  and  Finance  are  exerting  ev^ery  effort  to  obtain  the 
best  weapons  in  France,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  leave  the 
country's  finances  uncrippled. 

Recently  diplomatic  relations  have  been  resumed  with 
England,  and  the  Foreign  Office  have  appointed  Mr. 
Beethom  Whitehead  as  Minister  to  Servia.  This  has 
given  great  satisfaction  to  the  Servians,  for  they  see  in 
this  action  of  England  that  their  Government  has  already 
merited  serious  consideration.  The  resumption  of  friend- 
ship with  Great  Britain  has  been  the  means  of  greatly 
fortifying  the  Pachitch  Ministry.  It  was  obtained  through 
the  good  services  of  Italy  and  France,  and  especially  of  the 
King  of  Italy,  who,  as  is  well  known,  is  a  great  admirer 
of  England,  in  addition  to  being  brother-in-law  of  King 
Peter. 

Servia  hopes  that  the  result  of  this  renewed  friendship 
will  be  to  combat  the  German  advances  to  the  East ;  and 
this,  of  course,  is  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  England.  The 
Servians  also  hope  that  in  the  near  future  England  will  see 
her  way  to  minimise  the  evils  which  Lord  Beaconsfield's  policy 
created  in  the  Balkans  when  he  allowed  Austria  to  occupy 
Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  and  to  monopolise  Balkan  trade 
generally.  It  is  probable  that  Lord  Beaconsfield's  error  was 
due  to  his  fear  of  a  Pan-Slavonic  danger,  but  the  time  is 
certainly  now  ripe  for  England  to  assert  her  power  and  stem 
the  German  tide. 

It  is  within  the  range  of  possibility  that  ere  long  Russia 


THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA  151 

will  unite  with  England,  France,  and  Italy  to  take  joint  steps 
in  the  Balkans,  and  if  this  is  realised  it  will  mean  for  Servia 
that  her  autonomy  and  free  development  will  be  secured. 
Diplomacy  is  working  towards  this  end,  and  as  the  British 
Liberal  Party  is  believed  to  be  the  protector  of  weak 
nations,  it  is  more  than  likely  the  hope  will  very  soon 
mature. 

I  have  in  this  chapter  spoken  always  of  Austria,  and  not 
of  Hungary.  I  have  done  so  because  Hungary  hopes  for  her 
independence,  and  will,  if  she  gains  it,  certainly  find  herself 
on  a  level  with  Servia.  The  sympathy  between  the  Servian 
and  Hungarian  people  is  historical,  and  it  was  proved  lately 
by  the  transfer  of  the  relics  of  the  Hungarian  hero,  Racotzy, 
who  was  the  greatest  opposer  to  Austrian  rule.  Quite  recently 
Wekerle,  the  Hungarian  Premier,  said  in  Parliament  that 
"  the  basis  of  Hungarian  foreign  policy  has  been,  is,  and  has 
to  be,  the  continuance  of  Servia's  friendship." 

Hungary  has  always  found  warm  friends  in  England  on 
account  of  her  struggle  for  independence,  and  without  doubt 
England  will  still  support  her  when  the  day  comes.  Until  ten 
years  ago  it  was  generally  thought  in  Hungary  that  the  Slav 
tendencies  were  dangerous  to  Hungary's  existence,  but  that 
has  now  entirely  changed,  and  instead  of  regarding  Servia 
as  an  enemy,  they  look  upon  her  as  an  ally,  and  Germany 
as  an  enemy. 

The  renewal  of  diplomatic  relations  between  Servia  and 
England  will,  it  is  felt  certain,  be  the  means  of  inducing  British 
capitalists  to  make  inquiry  of  the  many  and  excellent  open- 
ings now  existing.  When  once  England  is  materially  inter- 
ested in  the  Serb  countries  she  will  have  a  motive  in 
promoting  Servia's  prosperity,  and  in  protecting  her  from  the 
German  advance,  as  a  policy  which  surely  will  be  to  her  own 
advancement. 

It  may  be  here  interesting,  too,  if  in  conclusion  I  give  a 
very  brief  summary  of  the  trade  of  Servia  during  1905 — the 
last  published  year — as  compared  with  the  four  previous 
years,  as  it  will  show  the  rapidly  growing  prosperity  under 
the  present  regime.     In  1901  the  exports  were  65,685,653  fcs.. 


I5J  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

and  the  imports  43,835,428  fcs.— a  total  of  109,521,081  fcs. ; 
in  1902  the  total  was  116,944,408  fcs. ;  in  1903,  118,202,666  fcs. 
For  1905  the  figures  were  as  follow  : — 

1905.  1904.  Difference  in  1905. 
more  (+)  less  (  — ) 

Fcs.  Fcs.  Fcs. 

Exports       .         .     71,996,274  62,156,066  +9,840,208 

Imports       .         .     55,600,644  60,926,406  -5,325,672 

Totals          .         .   1^:7,596,918  123,082,472  +4,517,446 

Increase  of  trade      16,395,630  1,226,660 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  country  is  undoubtedly 
entering  upon  an  era  of  prosperity. 

•"  By  the  Department  of  Public  Instruction  I  was  afforded 
facilities  for  studying  the  educational  system,  and  a  few  facts 
ma}'  prove  interesting.  Though  Servia  has  been  a  free  country 
for  less  than  a  century,  education  has  already  reached  a  very 
high  level.  It  possesses  a  large  number  of  primary  schools, 
secondary  schools,  and  special  schools,  as  well  as  a  high  school 
in  Belgrade  which  has  lately  been  turned  into  a  university.  "^ 

The  name  "  popular  schools  "  is  given  to  infant  schools, 
primary  schools,  and  the  superior  primary  schools.  The 
course  in  the  primary  schools  lasts  for  six  years,  and  in  the 
primary  superior  schools  two  years.  Children  in  towns  are 
sent  into  the  first  class  of  primary  schools  at  the  age  of  six,  and 
in  the  country  at  seven,  the  school  year  commencing  on 
September  i  and  ending  on  June  29. 

Schoolmasters  on  leaving  the  training  college  receive 
800  dinars  (francs)  per  annum,  and  rise  to  3000  dinars.  Bej'^ond 
this  they  receive  an  allowance  of  30  to  80  dinars  a  month  in 
lieu  of  lodging.  For  1905  I  was  unfortunately  unable  to  obtain 
the  statistics,  but  I  found  that  in  1904  there  were  in  Servia 
1093  schools  for  boys  and  170  schools  for  girls,  or  1263  primary 
schools.  There  were  1349  masters  and  856  mistresses,  or  a 
total  of  2205  teachers.  At  the  end  of  that  scholastic  year 
there  were  85,365  boys  studying  and  22,081  girls,  a  total 
of  107,446  scholars.  There  were  also  five  normal  schools  with 
25  masters,  and  six  schools  for  young  girls  with  25  mistresses. 
There    are    also    several     excellent     private    schools.       One 


THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA  153 

Protestant  and  one  Catholic  are  in  Belgrade,  while  of  the 
three  private  schools  for  girls  two  are  in  Belgrade  and  one 
in  Nisch. 

As  regards  secondary  schools,  the  course  lasts  eight  years 
and  is  terminable  by  examination.  When  the  high  school,  or 
university  course,  is  ended,  the  students  intending  to  become 
masters  receive  a  supernumerary  place  in  a  secondary  school 
with  a  salary  of  1500  dinars.  After  about  two  years  they 
pass  the  examination  of  professors,  whereupon  they  receive 
2500  dinars,  which  is  raised  periodically  to  6000  dinars.  The 
time-limit  for  professors  is  thirty  years.  In  the  secondary 
schools  are  masters  of  languages  and  fine  arts,  and  a  very 
high  standard  of  instruction  is  given.  The  last  return  showed 
there  were  4561  scholars  and  313  masters  in  these  schools. 
These  figures,  however,  do  not  comprise  the  private  gymnasiums 
of  Alexinac  and  Gradiste,  or  the  superior  schools  for  young 
girls  at  Belgrade  and  Kragooyevac. 

The  special  schools  comprise  the  religious  seminary,  the 
academy  of  commerce,  and  the  schools  of  agriculture.  The 
religious  seminary  is  at  Belgrade,  and  the  course  of  instruction 
lasts  nine  years.  There  are  two  schools  of  male  teachers,  one 
at  Alexinac  and  the  other  at  Yagodina,  and  also  two  schools 
for  female  teachers,  at  Belgrade  and  at  Kragooyevac.  Here, 
the  course  is  for  four  years.  The  Academy  of  Commerce  is 
in  Belgrade,  where  a  course  of  three  years  is  given.  There 
is  an  excellent  School  of  Agriculture  at  Kralyevo,  as  well  as  a 
School  of  Forestry  and  Viticulture  at  Bukovo,  where  a  three 
years'  course  is  given. 

The  University,  which  is  at  Belgrade,  has  only  recently  been 
established,  for  hitherto  it  was  only  a  high  school.  The  instruc- 
tion is  of  the  very  highest  order,  and  without  doubt  it  will 
turn  out  many  intellectual  men  in  the  near  future. 

One  afternoon  I  went  to  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  to 
have  audience  of  M.  Nicholas  Pachitch,  the  President  of  the 
Council  of  Ministers  and  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs. 

The  Foreign  Office  is  a  great  comfortable  old  building 
adjoining  the  gardens  of  the  royal  palace,  painted  dead  white, 
and  commanding  from  its  windows  a  beautiful  view  over 


154  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

the  Sa\c  and  the  rolling  plains  beyond.  The  ante-chamber 
IS  a  sombre,  old-fashioned  room,  with  heavy  furniture,  several 
fine  pictures,  and  polished  floor.  But  I  was  not  given  long 
to  inspect  it,  for  a  few  minutes  later  I  was  ushered  into  the 
private  room  of  the  man  whom  all  Servia  regards  as  the  greatest 
and  cleverest  politician — the  man  who  is  to  make  the  New 
Servia. 

I  found  him  a  quiet-mannered  man,  with  kindly  smiling 
eyes  behind  his  spectacles,  his  long  beard  and  hair  just  silvered 
with  grey,  his  voice  low,  soft,  and  deliberate. 

In  the  midst  of  a  turbulent  day — for  the  Skupshtina  was 
sitting  and  important  questions  were  being  discussed — he 
received  me  calmly,  and  though  two  Cabinet  Ministers  were 
waiting  outside  for  audience,  he  was  cool  and  deliberate. 
His  manner  was  charmingly  polite,  and  after  greeting  me,  gave 
me  a  seat  at  the  table  beside  him,  and  readily  answered  the 
questions  I  put  to  him. 

"  You  have  come  here  to  learn  about  our  country,"  he  said, 
smiling.  "  Well,  what  can  I  tell  you  ?  You  have,  I  dare- 
say, heard  a  good  deal  in  England — some  truth,  and  some 
facts  that  are  untrue — facts  manufactured  by  the  enemies 
of  Servia !  We  want  peace.  Our  tariff  difficulties  with 
Austria  are  regrettable,  but  we  cannot  accept  the  Austrian 
terms.  We  cannot  guarantee  to  buy  our  war  material  and 
railway  rolling-stock  from  Austria.  Because  we  are  a  small 
country  the  Austrian  Empire  is  imposing  upon  us  terms  which 
it  is  utterly  impossible  for  us  to  accept.  We  must  arm  our 
artillery  with  the  best  armament,  be  it  Austrian,  French, 
German,  or  English.  It  is  surely  the  duty  of  the  Government 
to  do  this.  Why  should  we  be  bound  to  Austria  in  this 
matter  ?  As  regards  England,  Servia  is  delighted  at  the 
resumption  of  diplomatic  relations,  and  at  the  appointment 
of  Mr.  Whitehead,  who  is  a  clever  diplomatist,  a  cosmo- 
politan, and  who  already  understands  us.  It  is  now  our 
intention  to  show  Europe  that  we  are  a  sound  nation,  and  by 
so  doing  we  hope  that  English  capitalists  will  seek  to  exploit 
our  vast  mineral  wealth.  In  Servia  there  are  mines  in  all  parts — 
coal,  iron,  copper,  lead,  antimony,  zinc,  and  even  gold.     They 


THE  FUTURE  OF  SERVIA  155 

only  require  working,  and  great  profits  must  accrue.  I  dare- 
say you  have  seen  the  geological  map  which  the  Ministry  of 
Commerce  has  recently  prepared.  If  not,  I  am  sure  Mr. 
Stoyanovitch,  the  Minister,  will  allow  you  to  see  it." 

"  And  the  present  condition  of  the  country  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Under  the  present  rule  the  people  have  shown  themselves 
absolutely  contented.  There  is  an  entire  personal  liberty  which 
did  not  exist  under  the  late  King.  Our  watchword  is  '  Servia 
for  the  Servians.'  Our  policy  is  to  avoid  all  outside  com- 
plications, and  endeavour  to  do  our  utmost  to  develop  the 
resources  of  the  country." 

"  And  Macedonia  ?  " 

His  Excellency  smiled  and  shrugged  his  shoulders  slightly. 

"  Ah  !  Macedonia  !  "  he  sighed.  "  Now  you  have  touched 
upon  a  difficult  question.  The  population  there  is  mixed,  it 
is  true,  and  the  problem  puzzles  every  statesman  in  Europe  ; 
yet  my  own  personal  opinion  is  that  in  the  course  of  a  year  or 
two  the  Powers  will  discover  a  mode  of  settlement  which 
will  be  found  to  be  beneficial  to  all  concerned." 

"  And  the  future  policy  of  Servia  ?  " 

"  You  can  tell  them  in  England  that  all  Servia  desires  is 
'  peace,'  "  His  Excellency  answered,  smiling  at  me  through 
his  spectacles.  "  This  we  are  doing  all  we  possibly  can  to 
promote.  His  Majesty  has  great  admiration  for  the  English, 
and  the  Government  are  ready  to  grant  concessions  for  in- 
dustrial and  mining  enterprises  to  English  capitalists — if 
properly  introduced.  I  can  assure  you  that  they  will  find  in 
Servia  excellent  returns  for  their  investments.  But  inquire 
for  yourself,  and  you  will  find  that  Servia  is  to-day  more 
prosperous  than  ever  she  was  under  the  late  King.  Inquire 
among  the  people,  not  only  in  Belgrade,  but  away  in  the 
heart  of  the  country  where  you  are  going.  Let  the  people 
speak  for  themselves,  and  they  will  tell  you  how  far  our 
endeavours  have  been  successful." 

And  then,  after  half  an  hour's  chat,  during  which  he  told 
me  many  interesting  facts,  and  gave  me  every  facility  to 
enable  me  to  conduct  my  inquiries,  I  rose,  shook  hands,  and 
left,  convinced  that  a  Ministry  under  such  a  clear,  level-headed 


156  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

statesman — a  really  great  man — could  not  do  otherwise  than 
raise  the  country  into  a  position  of  wealth  combined  with 
respect. 

Upon  every  Servian's  tongue  I  heard  the  name  of  Pachitch, 
and  my  own  observations  all  showed  most  conclusively  that 
he  and  his  party,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  King,  are  guiding 
Servia  to  peace,  happiness,  and  great  prosperity. 

A  few  days  later,  while  at  luncheon  at  the  house  of 
Dr.  Vesnitch,  Minister  of  Justice,  I  had  an  interview  with 
j\I.  Stoyanovitch,  the  Minister  of  Commerce.  He,  like  all  the 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet,  has  the  interest  of  Servia  deeply 
at  heart.  He  is  dark-haired,  mldle-aged,  keen,  clever,  and 
a  thoroughly  competent  business  man.  Our  conversation 
mainly  turned  upon  the  projected  railway  to  unite  the  Danube 
with  San  Giovanni  di  Medua,  in  Albania,  and  so  give  to  Russia, 
Roumania,  and  Servia  a  port  on  the  Adriatic. 

The  future  of  Servia,  he  declared,  depended  upon  this 
line.  She  must  have  a  direct  outlet  for  her  trade,  and  he 
prophesied  that  within  three  years  the  line  would  be  built. 
The  cost  will  be  about  80,000,000  francs,  or  150,000  francs 
per  kilometre.  Roughly,  the  length  is  about  500  kilometres. 
He  pointed  out  that  an  English  company  would  experience 
but  little  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  concession  from  the  Turkish 
Government  to  pass  through  Turkish  territory,  while  a  French 
and  German  company  would  be  prohibited.  The  line  would 
be  the  highroad  to  Russia  from  the  south,  and  would  be  an 
extremely  paying  one,  for  in  addition  almost  the  whole  of 
the  Servian  imports  and  exports  would  be  carried  over  it. 

"  British  capitalists  would  do  well  to  inquire  into  it,"  he 
said.  "  We  have  surveyed  the  route,  and  have  the  complete 
plans  at  the  Ministry  of  Public  Works.    To  anyone  introduced 

by  you.  Monsieur  N ,  we  should  be  ver}^  pleased  to  show 

them." 

And  the  Minister  went  into  details  as  to  the  excellent 
results  which  must  certainly  accrue  from  the  undertaking  and 
the  profits  which  the  company  would  certainly  make. 

Servia  has  undoubtedly  a  very  big  future  before  her,  and 
her  statesmen  are  ever  looking  far  ahead. 


CHAPTER    V 
TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA 

A  retrospect — A  sitting  of  the  Skupshtina — Peasants  as  deputies — Servia 
as  an  open  field  for  British  enterprise — Enormous  mineral  wealth — 
Mr.  Finney,  a  mining  engineer  who  has  prospected  in  Servia  for  seventeen 
years,  tells  me  some  interesting  facts  regarding  rich  mines  awaiting 
development — No  adventurers  need  apply. 

SERVIA  has,  indeed,  had  a  turbulent  past. 
For  centuries  she  has  been  torn  by  war  and  ground 
under  the  heel  of  the  oppressor.  From  the  days  of  Stevan 
Lazarevitch,  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century,  until  the 
revolt  of  the  Serbs  against  Turkish  rule  under  Karageorge  in 
1804,  the  country  was  constantly  crushed  and  constantly 
disturbed.  Karageorge  declared  Belgrade  and  the  neighbour- 
ing region  the  free  State  of  Servia,  which  was  unfortunately 
not  accomplished  until  after  great  sacrifices  and  many  heroic 
battles. 

In  1813,  however,  while  Russia  was  engaged  in  her  final 
conflict  with  Napoleon,  the  Turks  again  seized  Servia,  and 
Karageorge  with  several  other  chiefs  was  exiled  to  Austria. 
Two  years  later,  Milosch  Obrenovitch,  with  the  aid  of  some 
chiefs,  made  another  struggle  for  liberty,  which,  thanks  to  the 
Treaty  of  Bucharest,  was  crowned  with  success,  and  the 
interior  autonomy  of  Servia  thus  became  an  accomplished  fact. 

In  1842  Alexander  Karageorgevitch,  the  younger  son  of 
Karageorge,  ascended  the  vServian  throne  as  Prince,  and  under 
his  rule  the  government  of  the  country  was  modelled  upon 
modern  lines,  and  many  institutions  started  which  aided  to 
develop  the  civilisation. 

Exterior  politics  and  the  corruption  of  the  officials  by 

157 


I5S  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

friends  of  the  Obrenovitch  were  successful  in  creating  so  much 
discontent  that  Alexander  at  last  abandoned  the  throne. 
Upon  this,  the  Skupshtina,  or  National  Assembly,  elected 
the  aged  Prince  Milosch,  who  died  very  soon  afterwards.  In 
1861  his  son,  Prince  Mihailo,  succeeded,  but  in  1868  was  shot 
at  Topschider,  near  Belgrade,  through  motives  of  personal 
animosity.  His  cousin  Milan,  who  was  heir  to  the  throne, 
was  then  in  his  minority,  and  Servia  was  governed  by  a 
Regency  of  three  persons. 

During  Milan's  reign  there  occurred,  1876-78,  the  war 
with  Turkey  and  the  securing  of  four  new  departments,  the 
recognition  of  the  independence  of  Servia  by  the  Berlin  Treaty, 
the  proclamation  of  the  kingdom  in  1882,  the  unfortunate 
war  with  Bulgaria  in  1885,  and  the  promulgation  of  a  new 
constitution  which,  with  some  slight  modification,  is  still  in 
force.  After  the  abdication  of  King  Milan,  his  son  Alexander 
mounted  the  throne.  His  unfortunate  matrimonial  alliance 
with  the  ambitious  Draga,  who  quickly  assumed  authority, 
was  soon  responsible  for  much  discontent.  Life  became 
impossible  in  Servia  owing  to  the  maladministration  in  every 
department,  and  the  army  revolted,  with  the  tragic  and 
regrettable  result  that  is  so  well  known. 

After  the  death  of  King  Alexander  in  1903,  the  Skupshtina 
elected  the  son  of  Alexander  Karageorgevitch  as  King  under 
the  title  of  Peter  i. 

With  the  present  political  acquisitions  and  the  progress 
already  made  in  the  highroad  of  civilisation,  Servia  has 
already  obtained  a  high  place  among  civilised  nations.  But, 
alas  !  as  the  Servian  author,  M.  Zrnitch,  has  put  it,  the  Ser- 
vians are  only  free  in  the  head — Servia — and  the  arms — 
Montenegro.  The  other  parts  of  their  organism  are  still 
held  in  thraldom  by  the  foreigner.  ^ 

While  in  Belgrade  I  was  afforded  an  opportunity  of 
visiting  the  Skupshtina  and  being  present  at  a  somewhat 
heated  debate.  Just  before  my  arrival  two  deputies  had, 
it  was  said,  come  to  blows.  All  that  I  saw  there  was  most 
orderly,  and  certainly  the  speakers — even  those  in  their  quaint 
brown  peasant  dress — were  mostly  eloquent. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA  159 

Servia  badly  needs  a  new  Parliament  House.  The  present 
Skupshtina  is  a  large  bare  whitewashed  building  with 
two  galleries,  one  for  the  diplomats  and  Press,  and  the 
other  for  the  public.  In  front  of  a  life-sized  portrait  of  His 
Majesty  sits  the  President,  keeping  order  with  his  bell,  and 
on  either  side  at  baize-covered  tables  sit  the  Ministers.  The 
benches  are  set  in  horseshoe  shape,  and  look  very  uncom- 
fortable. The  deputies  consist  of  all  classes,  from  the  wealthy 
landowner  to  the  peasant,  and  all  receive  fifteen  francs  a  day 
expenses  while  the  House  sits. 

Plans  have  already  been  prepared  for  a  new  and  handsome 
Parliament  House,  which  is  to  be  built  on  a  fine  site  behind 
the  royal  palace,  and  it  is  believed  the  work  will  be  com- 
menced during  the  present  year.  The  sooner  the  National 
Assembly  is  properly  housed  the  better,  for  the  present 
building  is  mostly  of  wood,  old,  rickety,  and  the  reverse 
of  dignified.  None  are  so  alive  to  the  urgent  necessity  of 
providing  comfortable  quarters  for  the  deliberations  of  the 
Skupshtina  than  His  Majesty  himself,  for  it  was  he  who 
explained  to  me  what  is  intended. 

After  the  revolution  of  June  2, 1903,  the  National  Assembly 
convoked  by  the  Government  of  the  kingdom  of  Servia  gave 
the  country,  on  June  15,  a  new  constitution,  which  was  ratified 
three  days  later.  The  Skupshtina  is  composed  of  deputies 
elected  directly  by  the  people,  and  its  members,  during  their 
office,  cannot  be  sued  or  arrested  without  the  consent  of  the 
Skupshtina  itself — save  in  the  case  of  flagrant  delit.  Besides 
the  "  Little  Skupshtina,"  which  carries  on  the  government 
of  the  country,  there  is  also  the  "  Grand  Skupshtina,"  which 
consists  of  double  the  number  of  deputies,  and  which  is  only 
summoned  in  exceptional  circumstances,  namely,  to  elect 
the  King  ;  to  elect  regents  ;  to  decide  the  succession  of  the 
throne ;  to  deliberate  upon  any  modification  of  the  con- 
stitution ;  to  decide  upon  any  cession  or  exchange  of  territory  ; 
or  when  the  King  wishes  to  consult  them.  The  King  alone 
has  the  right  to  choose  or  dismiss  his  Ministers. 

In  Servia  there  are  17  departments,  81  arrondissements, 
and  1571  communes.     At  the  head  of  each  department  is  a 


i6o  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

prefect  nominated  by  the  King,  at  the  head  of  each  arrondisse- 
nicnt  a  sous-prefect,  and  at  the  head  of  each  commune  a 
mayor  elected  by  the  people. 

Military  service  is  compulsory,'  and  the  number  of  con- 
scripts average  26,700  a  year.  The  duration  of  service  in 
the  active  army  is  for  cavalry  and  infantry  two  years,  and 
eighteen  months  for  other  branches  of  the  service.  I  visited 
various  barracks,  and  was  afforded  several  opportunities  of 
inspecting  the  troops.  Both  officers  and  men  seem  exceedingly 
smart  and  capable.  Many  of  the  officers  had  received  their 
military  education  in  France,  Germany,  and  Russia,  while 
one  artillery  officer  I  met  had  studied  at  Shoeburyness  ! 
"^  When  the  defensive  forces  are  re-armed,  as  they  will  be 
completely  within  the  next  twelve  months,  Europe  will  find 
in  Servia  a  very  capable  and  well-trained  army.  Every  Serb 
is  a  born  fighter,  and  no  detail  is  being  overlooked  to  render 
Servia's  defences  up  to  date  and  complete.  "^ 
Y  Servia  is  not  a  country  of  great  landowners.  Apart  from 
the  property  held  by  the  State,  the  land  is  almost  wholly 
divided  among  peasant  proprietors.  The  law  grants  to  every 
Servian  peasant  2.8  hectares  of  land,  which  cannot  be  sold 
to  pay  private  debts.  It  is  also  forbidden  for  cultivators  to 
give  bills  of  exchange.  These  two  measures  are  of  great 
importance  in  preserving  the  land  to  the  Servian  peasant. 
The  country  is  a  very  rich  agricultural  one — perhaps  one  of 
the  richest  in  Europe.  Yet  one  fact  struck  me  as  curious, 
namely,  that  in  Belgrade  one  cannot  obtain  any  good  milk, 
and  all  butter  worth  eating  comes  from  Budapest.  There  is 
a  very  great  opening  in  Servia  for  dairy-farmers,  a  branch 
of  industry  which,  it  seems,  does  not  exist.  The  vines  have, 
in  recent  years,  been  all  destroyed  by  the  phylloxera,  but 
they  are  being  rapidly  replaced  by  the  American  variety. 
The  country  around  the  arrondissements  of  Smederevo, 
Golubac,  Ram,  and  Krayina  are  particularly  noted  for  good 
grapes  and  excellent  wine. 

Tobacco  is  a  monopoly  of  the  State.  ^  It  is  purchased 
upon  a  tariff  fixed  by  special  commission,  and  is  of  well- 
known  quality  and  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  manufacture 


In  "The    Kalemegdan  "  :    Belgrade. 


The  Market   Place  :   Belgrade. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         i6i 

of  cigarettes.  The  departments  where  it  is  principally  culti- 
vated are  Vranya,  Krayina,  Nisch,  d'Uzice,  and  Kragooyevac, 
while  in  other  parts  of  Servia  the  Turkish  varieties  are  grown 
with  great  success,  and  for  aroma  will  compare  well  with  the 
tobacco  of  Albania  or  Kavala.  Not  only  is  sufficient  tobacco 
grown  in  Servia  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  country,  but  the 
quantities  exported  are  increasing  year  by  year.  A  favoured 
few  Englishmen,  and  especially  diplomats  in  various  parts 
of  Europe — who  know  the  excellence  of  the  special  quality 
of  Servian  cigarettes — have  them  direct  from  Belgrade. 
Cigarettes  bought  for  export  cost  one-half  the  price  they  do 
for  consumption  in  Servia. 

Marmalade  and  slivovitza — an  eau-de-vie  made  of  prunes 
— are  also  two  articles  manufactured  in  Servia  and  largely 
exported,  about  three  million  francs'  worth  of  the  former, 
and  two  hundred  thousand  francs'  worth  of  the  latter  being 
sent  out  of  the  country  annually. 

There  are  immense  forests  in  various  parts  of  the  country 
with  a  great  wealth  of  timber  unexploited,  as  a  glance  at 
any  good  map  of  Servia  will  show,  while  the  sportsman  will 
find  there  plenty  of  game  of  every  kind,  from  bear,  lynx, 
wolf, j  and  such-like  animals,  down  to  the  quail,  pigeon,  part- 
ridge, pheasant,  and  woodcock.  The  whole  country  teems 
with  game,  and  the  only  prohibitions  are  upon  the  stag,  deer, 
chamois,  and  hen  pheasants.  There  are  many  sporting  clubs, 
the  chief  one  being  in  Belgrade,  where  a  paper  is  also  pub- 
lished called  Le  Chasseur. 

Servia's  mineral  wealth  is  well  known  to  geologists.  '  Gold, 
in  diluvial  and  alluvial  deposits,  is  being  worked  at  Timok, 
at  Pek,  and  at  other  places,  while  cinnabar  is  found  at  Avala, 
near  Belgrade,  and  in  the  villages  of  Brajici,  Bare,  and  Donja 
Tresnica.  At  Podrinye,  at  Lyuta  Strana,  at  Zuce,  at  Crveni 
Breg,  in  the  region  of  Avala,  at  Rudnik,  at  Kopaonik,  at 
Djurina  Sreca  there  is  lead  ;  at  Zavlaca  and  Kucajna,  zinc  ; 
and  at  Povlen,  Suvobor,  Cemerno,  Aldinac,  Majdanpek,  Bor 
in  Timok  and  Rtanj,  large  deposits  of  copper.  Arsenic  is 
found  in  various  regions,  but  principally  near  Donja  Tresnica, 
in  the  department  of  Podrinye  ;  while  antimony  is  known  to 


i62  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

exist  in  the  Zajaca  region.  Rich  iron  is  waiting  to  be  ex- 
ploited upon  the  Kopaonik,  in  Vlasina,  Rudna  Glava,  Crnajka 
(department  of  Krajina),  on  the  Vencac,  in  the  centre  of 
Servia,  and  on  the  Boranja  (in  Podrinye) ;  while  there  is  coal 
in  places  too  innumerable  to  mention  in  this  work. 

All  this  enormous  mineral  wealth  -might  well  be  exploited 
by  British  capital.  The  Servian  Government  are,  however, 
very  careful  to  whom  they  give  concessions,  and  will  not 
entertain,  for  a  single  moment,  any  application,  unless  the 
applicant  is  properly  introduced  and  can  give  undeniable 
proof  of  his  bona  fides.  Therefore  the  adventurer  who  thinks 
he  will,  without  capital,  be  able  to  make  a  "  good  thing  "  will 
find  himself  sadly  disappointed.  The  Government  is  ex- 
tremely anxious  to  receive  bona-fide  proposals,  and  as  His 
Majesty  himself  informed  me,  will  grant  concessions,  but  only  to 
firms  or  companies  who  mean  serious  and  legitimate  business. 

The  Servian  State  is  owner  of  all  the  subsoil  of  its  territory, 
and  can  give  what  rights  it  thinks  proper  to  foreigners  to 
prospect  and  work. 

British  capitalists  would  do  well  to  make  inquiries,  for, 
from  certain  information  I  gathered  in  Belgrade,  I  have 
no  hesitation  in  saying  that  great  returns  await  those  who 
commence  serious  mining  operations  in  that  rich  and  inex- 
haustible field. 

As  the  future  wealth  of  Servia  will  depend  to  a  large 
extent  on  the  exploitation  of  her  mineral  resources,  and  as 
Englishmen  must,  ere  long,  be  interested  in  her  mines — as 
they  are  in  mines  all  over  the  world — a  few  facts  concerning 
the  Mining  Law  of  Servia  may  not  be  out  of  place  here. 

The  Government  grants  two  kinds  of  rights  to  make 
researches,  the  "  simple  right  "  and  the  "  exclusive  right." 
The  former  is  given  for  one  year,  and  may  be  extended  to 
two  years,  and  is  limited  to  the  three  communes  indicated. 
The  second  lasts  a  year,  but  is  renewable  each  year  as  long 
as  required,  and  it  gives  a  right  to  explore  over  500,000  square 
metres  of  mining  field. 

The  State  gives  concessions  for  mines  for  fifty  years  upon 
a  sufficient  number  of  mining-fields  each  of  100,000   square 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         163 

metres,  the  boundaries  of  which  are  fixed  by  a  special  com- 
mission. To  obtain  a  concession  it  must  first  be  proved 
that  there  are  undoubted  traces  of  minerals  ;  that  the  capital 
is  sufficient,  and  a  plan  of  the  proposed  works  has  to  be 
furnished.  The  concessionaire,  after  fifteen  years  of  unin- 
terrupted work,  becomes  proprietor,  but  he  must  continue 
to  pay  the  mining  duties,  and  of  course  conform  to  the 
Mining  Law. 

Both  the  prospector  and  the  concessionaire  are  obliged  to 
work  regularly,  take  proper  precautions  for  the  well-being 
and  personal  safety  of  their  workpeople,  report  annually  upon 
work  executed,  and  furnish  each  year  plans  for  next  year's 
work.  There  must  be  no  mining  beneath  roads,  water- 
courses, buildings,  or  cemeteries. 

All  rights  of  research  and  all  concessions  are  lost  if  the 
specified  work  is  not  executed  within  the  first  year,  or  is 
interrupted  without  a  reason  approved  by  the  Minister,  or 
by  bankruptcy. 

The  State,  in  order  to  encourage  industry,  favours  the 
importation  of  all  machinery  and  material  for  use  in  mines, 
as  well  as  the  exportation  of  the  ore  obtained,  and  gives 
many  other  advantages  to  the  concessionaire. 

Of  late,  Belgrade  has  been  overrun  with  foreign  con- 
cession-hunters, most  of  them  of  the  adventurer  type.  I 
met  several  of  them  in  Belgrade.  In  my  conversation  with 
the  Ministers  I  quickly  learnt  that  the  Government,  fully 
alive  to  the  great  mineral  resources  of  their  country,  and 
confident  in  the  great  wealth  that  must  in  a  few  years  accrue, 
will  have  absolutely  nothing  to  do  with  any  person  v/ho  comes 
to  them  without  introduction. 

In  Belgrade,  I  repeat,  the  doors  are  closed  to  the  irre- 
sponsible concession-hunter,  but  at  once  open  to  anyone  who 
on  being  introduced  can  show  his  bona  fides  and  that  he  has 
capital  behind  him. 

In  the  course  of  my  inquiries  into  the  mineral  wealth 
I  had  a  number  of  conversations  with  Mr.  J.  R.  Finney, 
Ass.  I.  M.  &  M.,  an  English  mining  engineer  who  has  spent 
seventeen  years  in  prospecting  and  working  mines  in  Servia. 


i64  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

No  one  knows  nioro  about  mines  and  traces  of  minerals 
in  tlie  country  than  lie. 

Ho  pointed  out  to  mo  that  the  mineral  deposits  of  Servia 
ha\e  been  worked  to  a  very  great  extent  from  very  early 
times,  as  the  remains  of  Roman  and  Venetian  works  prove 
and  the  enormous  slag-heaps  found  in  various  parts  of  the 
country.  He  himself  has  on  many  occasions  found,  while 
prospecting,  rude  ancient  implements,  bones,  etc.  Of  the 
ancient  Roman  workings,  copper,  galena,  and  silver  were 
obtained  at  Kopaonik  ;  at  Rudnik,  lead,  silver,  and  zinc  were 
mined;  at  Kucajna,  gold,  silver,  zinc,  and  coal,  while  alluvial 
gold  is  to  be  found  all  along  the  Pek  River,  and  especially 
where  it  joins  the  Danube.  This  gold  has,  he  said,  evidently 
been  worked  down  in  course  of  time  from  a  rich  quartz 
reef  which  is  known  by  certain  persons,  including  himself, 
to  exist. 

At  the  Rebel  copper  mine,  which  Mr.  Finney  himself  dis- 
covered, he  found  ancient  workings  that  had  been  shored 
up  with  timber,  but  so  long  ago  that  the  wood  was  petrified  ! 
Again,  the  wood  was  pine,  which  does  not  now  exist  in  the 
forests.  The  latter  are  all  beeches,  and  it  is  known  that  in 
course  of  long  ages  beeches  kill  the  pines.  At  the  mine  in 
question  is  an  extensive  copper-smelting  works,  and  a  very 
large  percentage  of  metal  is  obtained.  All  over  this  same 
district  Mr.  Finney  has  prospected,  and  declares  that  in 
the  mountains  of  Medvednick  and  Povlen  there  are  large 
deposits  of  lead,  copper,  silver,  and  antimony  all  awaiting 
exploitation. 

Some  very  important  copper  mines  and  smelting  works 
are  at  Maydan  Pek,  and  have  been  w^orked  at  a  good  profit 
for  years,  while  at  Bor  there  has  been  erected  a  large  smelting 
works,  which  are  capable  of  producing  ten  tons  of  copper  daily. 
Large  deposits  of  antimony  exist,  to  Mr.  Finney's  knowledge, 
at  Zajitchar  and  Krupanj. 

"  I  quite  admit,"  said  Mr.  Finney,  as  we  were  chatting, 
"  that  some  mines  in  Servia  have  not  been  successful.  The 
bulk  of  them  have  been  over-capitalised.  Take,  as  an  instance, 
one  company  with  £300,000  capital,  which  left  £20,000  for 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         165 

working.  The  consequence  is  that  the  sum  at  disposal  has 
not  been  sufficient  to  develop  the  mine  or  to  work  sufficient 
to  pay  interest  on  ^280,000. 

"  Again,  in  many  cases  men  unacquainted  with  any  foreign 
language,  or  with  the  customs  of  the  country,  have  been  sent 
out  here  to  manage,  and  with  instructions  from  a  board  in 
London  utterly  ignorant  of  the  requirements  of  the  case.  As 
an  instance  of  this,  a  certain  company  that  I  could  name 
sent  out  to  Servia  six  managers  in  three  years.  In  such  a 
case,  with  a  manager  dependent  upon  interpreters  and 
ignorant  of  the  people,  the  price  of  labour  and  materials  rises 
from  200  to  300  per  cent.  I  have  known  these  prices  to  be 
paid.  Again,  there  is  some  little  reform  needed  in  the  mining 
laws,  and  the  Government  would  be  well  advised  if  they 
compelled  the  communes  to  put  the  roads  in  better  repair. 
Transport  is  at  present  somewhat  difficult,  and  if  the  com- 
munes put  the  roads  in  order  they  would,  in  the  long-run, 
greatly  benefit  by  the  opening  up  of  the  country.  Such," 
Mr.  Finney  added,  "  are  some  of  the  reasons  why  foreign 
mining  undertakings  in  Servia  have  not  been  altogether  suc- 
cessful in  the  past.  But  for  the  future  there  is  great  hope, 
and  English  capitalists  will  do  well  to  regard  Servia  as  a 
field  where  good  profits  may  easily  be  made." 


AN  ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL 
SERVIAN  PLACE-NAMES 

Alexandrovatz      ,     Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Koznitza,  on  the  river  of  that  name. 

Alexinatz       .         .     Chief  town  of   the  department  of   the 

same  name,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Morawa  with  the  Morawitz.  6000 
inhabitants.  Copper  mines.  The 
monastery  of  Sant  Stepan  is  in  close 
proximity. 

Alexinatz       .        .     Department  with  arrondissement  of  30 

communes. 


1 66 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


Akangyelovatz 

Arilie     . 

Akilie 

Azanja    . 
azboukovatz  . 

Bania 


Bania 
Bania-Yoschanitza 

Belavia  . 

Belivnia 

Biela-Palanka 

BlELITZA 

Blato-Luznitza 

bogatitch 

Bolievatz 

bolievatz 
Brestovatz    . 
Brza-Palanka 

Brza-Palanka 

Derven   . 


Chief  town  of  Jassenitza,    department 

of  Kragooyevatz.     looo  inhabitants. 

Source  of  Boukovik  mineral  waters. 

Watering-place  much  frequented  from 

May  till  October. 
An  arrondissement  of  23  communes  in 

Oujitze,  valley  of  the  Morawa  Serbe. 
Chief  town  of  arrondissement  of  that 

name,  department  of  Oujitze. 
Town  in  Jassenitza.     4500  inhabitants. 
Arrondissement    of    38    communes    in 

Podrini6. 
Watering-place  very  frequented,  in  the 

department  of  Alexinatz.      Ruins  of 

a  Roman  bath  and  of  a  feudal  castle. 

View  upon  Pyramid  of  Rtanje,  and 

one  of  the  most  picturesque  places  in 

Servia. 
Hot-water  springs  an  hour  from  Nisch. 
Chief  town  of  Yoschanitza,  in  Krusche- 

vatz. 
Mineral-water  springs  in  the  arrondisse- 
ment of  Yagodina. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Prokoupatz,  department  of  Toplitza. 
Arrondissement  in  Pirot  of  44  communes. 
Small  tributary  of  the  Morawa.     Also 

name  of  an  arrondissement. 
Chief  town  of  Luznitza,  department  of 

Pirot. 
Chief   town   in   the   arrondissement   of 

Match va,  in  Schabatz  district. 
Chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  in  the 

department  of  Tzrna  Reka,  at  foot 

of  Mount  Ratni. 
An  arrondissement  of  the  Zrnarjeka. 
Station  between  Nisch  and  Vranya. 
Chief    town    of    an    arrondissement    in 

Kraina,  on  the  Danube, 
Arrondissement     on     the     Roumanian 

frontier  with  20  communes. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 
Sverlichka,  department  of  Kniajevatz. 
Monastery    of    S.    Arangel    in    the 
vicinity. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         167 


Despotovatz  . 

DjEP 
DjUNIS     . 
DOBRA       . 

DOBRITSH 

DOLNI   DUCHNIK 

DOLNI   MiLANOVATZ 


Dragatchevo 

Drina 

Gamsigrad 


Gledikj  . 
Golemo-Selo 

GOLIA 

GOLUBATZ 
GOLUBATZ 
GOLUBINIE 
GORNI-MlLANOVATZ 


Grdelitza 
Greatch. 
Grotzka . 

Grotzka . 


Arrondissement  with  33  communes  in 

Tchoupria. 
Station  between  Nisch  and  Vrania. 
Station  on  the  Morawa. 
Coal  -  mine    on    the    Danube    between 

Golubatz  and  Dolni  Milanovatz. 
Arrondissement    in    Tophtza    with    85 

communes. 
Chief   town   in   the   arrondissement   of 

Zaplania,  department  of  Nisch. 
Chief   town   of    the   arrondissement   of 

Poreschka-Rieka,  in  Kraina,  on  the 

Danube.     Fine    forests ;     stone    and 

hgnite  in  the  vicinity. 
Name  of   an   arrondissement  of  which 

Gutscha  is  the  chief  town,  in  Tcha- 

tchak.     55  communes. 
Tributary  of  the  Save  between  Bosnia 

and  the  Servian  frontier.     Excellent 

trout-fishing. 
A    locality    near    Zaitchar.     Close    by 

upon  a  plateau  near  Timok  are  most 

interesting  ruins  of  a  Roman  fortress. 

One  of  the   best  preserved  ruins  in 

Servia. 
A  plateau  south  of  Kragouievatz. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Polianitza,  in  Vrania. 
Mountains    on    the    frontier    of    Novi- 

Bazar. 
Arrondissement  of  29  communes. 
Mining  centre  on  the  Danube. 
Mountains  in  Kraina. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Takovo   and   of    the    department   of 

Rudnik.     3000    inhabitants.     School 

of  commerce. 
Station   on   the   Nisch- Vrania  railway, 

south  of  Vlatchotinza. 
Station  near  Alexinatz,  on  the  Belgrade- 

Nisch  railway. 
Small    river,    which    gives    its    name 

to   an    arrondissement    of    17   com- 
munes. 
Town  on  the  Danube,  near  Belgrade. 


i68 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


Gruja     . 

GrBEREVATZ     . 
GUTSCHA. 

gutschevo-bokanja 
Hassan-Pacha 


Ibar 
ivanyitza 


Jadar 

Kamenitza 

Katscher 

Kladova 

Klioutscha    . 

Kniajevatz 

Kolubara 
Kopaonik 

KORMAN   . 
KOSSMAY. 

KOSTLENIK 


Tributary  of  the  Morawa  Srbska,  which 
gives  its  name  to  an  arrondissement 
of  63  communes. 

Important  traces  of  minerals  35  kilo- 
metres from  Belgrade. 

Chief  town  of  Dragatchevo,  depart- 
ment of  Tchatchak.  Splendid 
pastures. 

Mountains  in  the  department  of 
Podrinie. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Jassenitza,  department  of  Semendria. 
3200  inhabitants. 

Tributary  of  the  Morawa  Srbska. 

Chief  town  of  Moravitza,  department  of 
Oujitze.  200  inhabitants.  Wheat- 
growing. 

Tributary  of  the  Drina,  which  gives  its 
name  to  an  arrondissement  of  40 
communes.     Chief  town,  Loznitza. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Podgaratz,  in  Valievo. 

Arrondissement,  of  which  the  chief 
town  is  Rudnik.     38  communes. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Kljoutscha,  department  of  Kraina, 
on  the  Danube.     2706  inhabitants. 

Arrondissement,  of  which  the  chief 
town  is  Kladova,  north  of  the 
Kraina. 

Chief  town  of  the  department  of  that 
name  at  the  foot  of  the  Balkans. 
Growing  of  cereals  and  a  school  of 
commerce. 

Tributary  of  the  Save.  Gives  its  name 
to  two  arrondissements. 

Mountains  to  the  south  of  the  Dinaric 

Alps. 
Station  ten  kilometres  north  of  Alex- 

inatz. 
Mountain  which  gives  its  name  to  an 
arrondissement    of    which    the    chief 
town  is  lopot,  department  of  Belgrade. 
26  communes. 
Mountain  in  the  department  of  Rudnik. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA 


169 


kourschoumlie 

koutschevo   . 

kozieritza 

koznitza 

Kragouievatz 


Kraina  . 
Kralievo 

Kroupanie 
Kruschevatz 

Lapovo   . 
Lebane  . 

Lepenatz 
Lepnitza 

Leskovatz 


Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Kossanitza,  on  the  Turkish  frontier. 
Country  noted  for  its  wines. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Svidje,  on  the  Pek.     Coal  mines. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Tzerna  Gora,  department  of  Oujitza. 

Watercourse  and  tributary  of  the 
Morawa  Srbska,  which  gives  its  name 
to  an  arrondissement  of  92  communes 
in  the  department  of  Kruschevatz. 

Chief  town  of  the  department  of  that 
name,  and  ancient  capital  of  Servia. 
Situated  on  the  Lepnitza.  13,000 
inhabitants.  Contains  a  large  library, 
a  gun-factory,  and  powder-magazine. 
Potteries  and  stone  quarries.  Ex- 
cellent wine  grown  here. 

Department  in  the  north-east  of  Servia. 
Chief  town,  Hegotin. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
the  same  name,  department  of 
Tchatchak.  4200  inhabitants.  Lead 
and  iron  mines.     Military  school. 

Town  in  the  department  of  Loznitza. 
Lead,  zinc,  and  antimony  mines. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  and 
department  of  that  name,  with  6200 
inhabitants.  Ancient  residence  of  the 
Tzars  of  Servia.     Vine  culture. 

Junction  of  the  railway  Belgrade-Nisch 
with  the  line  to  Kragouievatz. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Yablonitza,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Medvedja  and  Buguecka. 

A  series  of  plateaux  in  the  south-west, 
near  the  environs  of  Nisch. 

Tributary  of  the  Morawa,  which  gives 
its  name  to  the  arrondissement  of 
which  Ratscha  is  the  chief  town. 
40  communes. 

Chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  of  that 
name  in  the  department  of  Nisch. 
Monastery  of  S.  Radni  in  vicinity.  Ar- 
rondissement contains  'j']  communes. 


170 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


LiPOVATSCHA 
LOZNITZA. 

LUBOVIA    . 

luznitza 
Maidanpek 

Massouritza 

Matschvva 

Mionitza 
Mlava     . 

Morawa 


Morawitza 


Negotin 

NiSCHAVA 


Small  river  in  the  arrondissement  of 
Ratscha. 

Chief  town  of  the  department  of 
Podrinie.  4000  inhabitants.  School 
of  commerce. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Asboukovatz,  upon  the  Drina. 

An  arrondissement  with  54  communes 
in  the  department  of  Pirot. 

Important  mining  centre  30  kilometres 
from  Dolni  -  Milanovatz,  on  the 
Danube.  Iron  and  copper.  Vast 
forests. 

An  arrondissement  on  the  Bulgarian 
frontier,  department  of  Vrania.  43 
communes. 

An  arrondissement  of  24  communes 
in  Schabatz  district,  north-east  of 
Servia. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Kolubara,  department  of  Valievo. 

Tributary  of  the  Danube  which  gives 
its  name  to  an  arrondissement  of  which 
the  chief  town  is  Pelrovatz.  32 
communes. 

Chief  river  in  Servia,  and  by  its  tributary 
the  Morawa,  which  rises  in  the  Yavor 
mountains,  waters  much  territory  in 
the  south-east  of  the  kingdom  There 
is  an  arrondissement  of  the  same 
name  in  the  department  of  Rudnik, 
with  38  communes. 

Tributary  of  the  Morawa  which  gives 
its  name  to  two  arrondissements,  one 
of  31  communes,  the  chief  town  of 
which  is  Bania,  in  Alexinatz,  and 
the  other,  of  which  Yvanitza  is  the 
chief  town,  in  Oujitza,  with  149 
communes, 

A  town  of  6000  inhabitants,  in  Krania, 
East  Servia.     Noted  for  its  wines. 

Tributary  of  the  Morawa,  which  gives 
its  name  to  the  arrondissement  of 
which  Pirot  is  the  chief  town.  65 
communes. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         171 


Novi  Han 
Obrenovatz 


Omolje   . 
Oratscha 


Oropsi    . 

OUB 
OUJITZE   . 


ovtschar 
Paratchin 

Petchenikotza 
Petrovatz 

PiROT 

PODGORATZ 

PODGORTE 
PODRINYE 
PODUNVALYE    . 
POJAREVATZ      . 


Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Timok,  in  the  Tchiprovatz  Mountains, 
on  the  Bulgarian  frontier. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Possava,  department  of  Vahevo, 
on  the  Tamnava,  near  its  con- 
fluence with  the  Danube.  3000 
inhabitants. 

Mountains.  Highest,  3500  metres,  in 
the  department  of  Pojarevatz. 

A  town  in  Semendria,  upon  the  small 
river  Rally  a.  Also  the  name  of  an 
arrondissement  of  14  communes. 

Mineral  springs  near  Belgrade. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Tamnava,  in  Valievo. 

Town  of  8000  inhabitants  in  the  depart- 
ment of  the  same  name.  Wine  and 
school  of  commerce. 

Mountains  near  Tchatchak.  Sulphur 
baths. 

Chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  of  that 
name  on  the  Zanitza,  department 
of  Tchoupria.  The  monastery  of 
S.  Pelka  is  not  far  distant. 

Town  at  the  confluence  of  the  Jablonitza 
and  the  Morawa. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Mlava,  in  Pojarewatz. 

Chief  town  of  the  department  of  that 
name  in  the  south-east  of  Servia. 
14,000  inhabitants. 

Mines  of  iron,  copper,  and  lead,  in 
Valievo.  Lithographic  stone  is 
quarried. 

Arrondissement  of  29  communes  in 
Valievo. 

A  department  in  the  west  of  Servia. 
Chief  town,  Loznitza. 

Arrondissement  of  25  communes  in 
Smederevo. 

Chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  of  that 
name.  13,000  inhabitants.  Mining 
centre.  School  of  agriculture.  The 
scene  of  the  famous  Congress  of  1718. 


172 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


POJ  EGA      . 

POLYANITZA 
PORESCHKA 


Fortes  de  Per 

(GVERDAP) 


POSSAVA    , 

Poss  A  vo-Tam  N  AVA 
potserie 
Prechilovatz 
Preillina 


Priboi     . 
Prilika  . 

Prokoupatz 

Prokouplie 

Pschinie 

Radjevina 

Radjevo 
Radouyevatz 


Cliiof  town  of  an  arrondissement  of  that 
name,  department  of  Oiijitza.  The 
arrondisscment  contains  52  communes. 

An  arrondisscment  on  the  Turkish 
frontier,  department  of  Vrania. 

Tributary  of  the  Danube  in  a  deep 
valley  between  the  Pekska  and  the 
Misosch  mountains.  It  gives  its 
name  to  an  arrondisscment  of  11 
communes,  in  Kraina. 

"  The  Iron  Gates  "  of  the  Danube,  or 
passage  between  the  Balkans  at  the 
point  where  the  river  leaves  Servia. 
There  is  also  a  small  town  of  3000 
inhabitants.  In  the  mountains  in 
the  vicinity  the  wild  cherry  is  found. 
It  is  very  rare,  and  is  much  sought 
after  for  the  manufactory  of  ex- 
pensive furniture. 

An  arrondisscment  of  27  communes  in 
Belgrade.  Also  one  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Valievo. 

Arrondisscment  of  54  communes  in  the 
department  of  Schabatz. 

Arrondisscment  of  34  communes,  of 
which  the  chief  town  is  Schabatz. 

Chief  town  of  an  arrondisscment  of  that 
name  in  Alexinatz. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondisscment  of 
the  Morawa,  a  few  kilometres  from 
Tchatchak. 

Town  on  the  railway  Nisch- Vrania. 

Mineral  springs  in  the  arrondisscment  of 
Oujitze. 

Arrondisscment  of  104  communes  in 
department  of  Toplitza. 

Chief  town  of  Toplitza  and  of  the 
arrondisscment  of  Dobritsch. 

An  arrondisscment  of  89  communes  in 
Vrania. 

Chief  town  of  Radjevo,  in  Podrinie,  on 
the  Bosnian  frontier.     Lead  mines. 

Arrondisscment  of  32  communes. 

A  town  on  the  Danube  at  the  point  where 
the  right  bank  ceases  to  be  in  Servia. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA         173 


Rajan     . 

Rallya  . 
Rama 
Raschka 
Ratscha  . 

Rekovatz 

Resnik    . 
Ressava 

RiPANIE   . 

Rtanie    . 

RUDNIK     . 


Rybar    . 
Sava 

schabatz 


schornik 
schumadia 

Semendria 

SiKIRITZA 


Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of  that 

name,  in  Alexinatz.     The  Monastery 

of  S.  Roman  is  in  the  vicinity. 
Station    on    the    Belgrade-Nisch    hne. 

Important  mining  centre.     Also  the 

name  of  a  small  river. 
Arrondissement    of    31    communes,    of 

which  Veliko  Graditcha  is  the  chief 

town. 
Chief   town   in   the   arrondissement   of 

Stoudenitza,    department    of    Tcha- 

tchak,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Golia. 
Chief   town   of  the   arrondissement   of 

Lepnitza,  in  Kragouievatz.     Also  the 

name    of   an    arrondissement    of    28 

communes  in  Oujitze. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Levatch,  in  Yagodina. 
Station  on  the  Belgrade-Nisch  railway. 
Tributary  of  the  Morawa  which  gives 

its  name  to  an  arrondissement  of  24 

communes  in  Tchoupria. 
Station  and  mine  on  the  line  Belgrade- 
Nisch. 
A  pyramidical  mountain  of  3900  metres 

in  the  arrondissement  of  Alexinatz. 
Chief   town   of   the   arrondissement   of 

Kastcher,    department    of    Rudnik ; 

also  the  name  of  a  range  of  mountains 

in  the  centre  of  Servia. 
Mineral  springs  in  Kruschevatz. 
A  tributary  of  the  Danube  which  joins 

the  latter  at  Belgrade. 
A  town  of  11,000  inhabitants  upon  the 

Save,  capital  of  a  department  of  that 

name. 
A  plateaux  to  the  west  of  Oujitze. 
A  vast   forest   extending   through   the 

departments  of  Belgrade  and  Rudnik. 
Chief   town   of   a   department   of   that 

name,  situated  on  the  Danube,  with 

7500  inhabitants.     Vine  culture. 
A  station  between  Belgrade  and  Nisch. 

Lignite   is   known    to   exist    here   in 

large  quantities. 


174 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


bIKOLIK     . 

Slatibor 


Smrdan-Bara 

Sopot 

Stalatz  . 

Stanischitza  . 
Stig 

Studenitza     . 


sverlichka 

svilainatz 

Takovo  . 
Tamnava 

tchaitina 


A  mining  centre  in  the  Kraina. 

A  chain  of  mountains  forming  part  of 
the  Dinaiic  Alps  separating  Servia 
and  Rascie  (Novi  Bazar).  Also  the 
name  of  an  arrondissement  of  30 
communes  in  Oujitzc. 

Excellent  sulphur  springs  at  the  con- 
liuence  of  the  Drina  and  the  Save  in 
Loznitza.     Very    picturesque. 

Chief  town  on  the  arrondissement  of 
Kossmai,  department  of  Belgrade. 

The  junction  of  the  railway Kruschevatz- 
Oujitze  and  the  line  Belgrade-Nisch. 

High  plateaux  in  Kruschevatz. 

An  arrondissement  of  13  communes  in 
Pojarevatz,  the  chief  town  being 
Koutschevo. 

Tributary  of  the  Ibar,  which  joins  it 
between  the  mountains  lakowo  and 
Radotschewo.  It  gives  its  name  to 
an  arrondissement  of  144  communes 
in  Tchatchak.  The  chief  town  is 
Ratschka,  near  which  is  the  cele- 
brated monastery  of  Tsarska  Lavra, 
built  in  the  twelfth  century  by  the 
orders  of  Krale  Stefan  Nemania,  who 
became  a  monk  under  the  name  of 
Simeon.  The  monastery,  in  the 
Slavonic  style,  Orthodox  and  Byzan- 
tine, is  entirely  constructed  of  white 
marble,  and  is  of  marvellous  beauty. 

Arrondissement  of  40  communes,  the 
chief  town  of  which  is  Derven,  in 
Kniajevatz. 

Chief  town  of  Ressava,  upon  the  river 
of  that  name  in  the  department  of 
Tchoupria. 

Arrondissement  of  43  communes  in 
Rudnik. 

A  tributary  of  the  Save  which  gives  its 
name  to  an  arrondissement  of  42 
communes  in  Valievo. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Slatibor,  near  the  Bosnian  frontier, 
twenty  kilometres  from  Mokragora. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA 


175 


tchatchak 

tchopitz 
tchoupria 

Temnitch 
Temnitchka 

TiMOK       . 


TOPLITZA 

TOPOLA     . 

topschider 

Trnava  . 
Trstenik 

tzernagora 
Umka 


Chief  town  of  a  department  of  that 
name,  situated  upon  the  Morawa 
Serbe.     4200  inhabitants. 

Chief  town  of  Kolubara,  department  of 
Belgrade. 

Chief  town  of  a  department  of  that 
name,  situated  upon  the  Morawa  at 
its  confluence  with  the  Kamenitza. 
5200  inhabitants.     Lignite. 

A  department  with  capital  of  the  same 
name. 

Mountains  in  the  south  of  Yagodina 
which  give  their  names  to  an  arron- 
dissement  of  43  communes. 

A  river  which  rises  near  Biela  Palanka, 
runs  to  the  north,  and  falls  into  the 
Danube  a  little  below  Radouyevatz, 
after  serving  as  frontier  to  Servia 
and  Bulgaria  for  50  kilometres.  The 
name  also  of  an  arrondissement  of 
20  communes  of  which  Novi-Han  is 
the  chief  town,  in  the  department 
of  Kniajevatz. 

A  river  rising  in  the  Kopaonik  mountains, 
and  falls  into  the  Morawa  near  Nisch, 
It  also  gives  its  name  to  a  department 
of  which  Prokouplie  is  the  chief  town. 

A  small  town  in  Kragouievatz.  3100 
inhabitants. 

First  station  on  the  line  Belgrade- 
Nisch,  Royal  villa  and  gardens. 
Also  mining  centre.  The  name  of 
a  small  river  falling  into  the  Save. 

An  arrondissement  of  29  communes, 
the  chief  town  of  which  is  Tchatchak. 

A  town  of  2000  inhabitants,  situated  on 
the  Morawa  Srbska,  in  Kruschevatz. 
Manufacture  of  millstones.  Also  the 
name  of  an  arrondissement  of  38 
communes. 

A  mountain  which  gives  its  name  to 
an  arrondissement  of  126  communes 
in  Oujitze. 

A  town  on  the  Save,  department  of 
Belgrade. 


176 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


Valievo 


Varvarin 
Velika-Lukania     . 

Velika-Plana 
Veliki-Popovitcii  . 
Veliko-Gradisute  . 

Verschka-Tchouka 
Vizzotschka  . 
Vladimirtsi    . 
Vladitchin-Han 
Vlaschka 
Vlassina 

Vlassotinze   . 

Vrania   . 

Vratchar 

Wratarnitza 

Wrntze 


Chief  town  of  the  department  and 
anondissement  (of  62  communes)  of 
the  same  name.  7500  inhabitants. 
Lithographic  stone.  Town  lit  by 
electricity  by  an  English  concession- 
aire, Mr.  J.  R.  Finney. 

A  town  in  the  department  of  Yagodina. 
Stalatz  station. 

A  town  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Radot- 
schina,  department  of  Pirot.  The 
monastery  of  S.  Aranghel  is  near. 

The  junction  of  railways  between  Bel- 
grade-Nisch  and  Semendria. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Despotovatz,  situated  on  the  Retsava. 

A  town  at  the  confluence  of  the  Pek  and 
Danube.  4016  inhabitants.  Wheat- 
growing. 

Mountain  between  Novi-Han  and 
Zaitchar.     Rich  coal  mines. 

An  arrondissement  in  Pirot  containing 
26  communes. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Possavo-Tamnava,  in  Schabatz. 

Small  station  on  the  Nisch  -  Vrania 
line. 

Fifth  station  from  Belgrade,  towards 
Nisch. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Mazouritza,  in  Vrania,  on  the  Bosnian 
frontier. 

A  town  situate  on  the  Vlassina- Vignes, 
in  Nisch.  Also  the  name  of  an 
arrondissement  of  51  communes. 

Chief  town  of  a  department  of  that 
name  in  South  Servia,  on  the  Nisch- 
Uskubline.  Vine  culture.  At  Bania, 
in  the  vicinity,  mineral  springs. 

Arrondissement  of  20  communes  in  the 
department  of  Belgrade. 

A  plateau  to  the  east  of  Zrna-Rieka, 
Bulgarian  frontier. 

Excellent  mineral  springs  upon  the 
road  from  Kralievo  to  Trstenik,  in 
the  arrondissement  of  Kruschevatz. 


TO-DAY  AND  TO-MORROW  IN  SERVIA 


177 


Yabar     . 
Yablanitza 

Yadar    . 
Yagodina 

Yassenitza 


Yavor    . 

Year 

yoschanitza 

yvanitza 

Zaglav    . 
Zagoubitza 

Zaitchar 
Zaplanie 


Chief  town  in  the  arrondissement  of 
Morawa.     Abundant  lignite. 

A  river  falling  into  the  Morawa  at 
Brestovatz-Tchetina,  and  giving  its 
name  to  an  arrondissement  of  58 
communes,  department  of  Toplitza. 

A  tributary  of  the  Drina  which  gives 
its  name  to  an  arrondissement  of 
40  communes  in  Podrinie. 

Chief  town  of  the  department  of  that 
name  and  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Bielitza,  upon  the  Constantinople 
road.  5000  inhabitants.  Station  on 
the  Belgrade-Nisch  line. 

A  tributary  of  the  Morawa,  which  gives 
its  name  to  an  arrondissement  of 
27  communes  in  Kragouievatz.  Also 
a  small  tributary  of  the  Medjloudje 
and  the  name  of  an  arrondissement 
of  15  communes  in  Semendria. 

Mountains  on  the  western  frontier  of 
Servia. 

Tributary  of  the  Morawa  Serbe,  which 
it  joins  near  Kralievo. 

Small  tributary  of  the  Ibar  which  gives 
its  name  to  an  arrondissement  of  71 
communes  in  Kruschevatz. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Morawitza,  in  Oujitze.  2000  inhabit- 
ants.    Cereals. 

An  arrondissement  of  51  communes,  of 
which  Kniajevatz  is  the  chief  town. 

Chief  town  of  the  arrondissement  of 
Omolje,  upon  the  Mlava.  The  cele- 
brated monastery  of  S.  Giorgiak  is  in 
the  vicinity. 

One  of  the  arrondissements  of  the 
Zrna  Rieka.  25  communes.  Also 
name  of  the  capital  of  the  depart- 
ment. 7000  inhabitants.  Coal 
mines. 

An  arrondissement  of  55  communes  in 
the  department  of  Nisch. 


BULGARIA 


17t 


His    Royal    Highness    Prince   Ferdinand   of    Bulgaria. 


CHAPTER    I 
SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY 

At  the  Bulgarian  frontier — A  chat  with  M.  Etienne,  French  ex-Minister  of 
War — Evening  in  Sofia — A  city  of  rapid  progress — Engaging  peasants 
for  Earl's  Court  Exhibition — Amusing  episodes — Social  hfe  in  Sofia 
— The  diplomats'  club — The  Bulgarian  Government  grant  me  special 
facilities  for  investigation. 

THE  Orient  Express — that  train  of  dusty  wagons-lUs  which 
three  days  a  week  gives  communication  between  Ostend 
and  the  East — had  just  passed  the  Bulgarian  frontier  at  Tzari- 
brod,  and  my  passport  had  been  examined  and  stamped  by 
a  keen-eyed  httle  man  in  black. 

I  was  sitting  in  the  dining-car  with  a  very  distinguished 
French  statesman,  M.  Etienne,  ex-Minister  of  War,  and  we 
had  been  chatting  for  several  hours  as  the  train  wound  through 
the  defiles  of  the  Servian  mountains. 

A  diplomat's  wife,  with  four  pet  spaniels,  on  her  way, 
I  believe,  from  Japan  to  the  Turkish  capital,  was  seated  at 
the  next  table  to  ours.  She  had  ordered  coffee,  for  which  she 
paid  with  a  thousand-franc  French  note  !  The  takings  of 
the  "  pudding-car  "  of  the  "  Orient  "  must  be  considerable, 
for  the  maitre  d' hotel  promptly  cashed  the  note — nine  "  one- 
hundreds,"  some  French  gold,  silver,  and  copper — and  received 
a  few  centimes  as  a  tip  !  It  was  my  first  quaint  experience 
in  Bulgaria,  Mark  Twain  with  his  million-pound-note  should 
come  here.  Curiously  enough,  I  afterwards  met  the  diplomat's 
wife  in  Constantinople. 

Entering  Sofia  from  the  station,  the  traveller  is  at  first 
sadly  disappointed.     The  place  looks  dismal  and  half  finished. 

181 


i8j  an  observer  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Tliore  are  wide  roads  and  boulevards  laid  out,  with  scarcely 
a  house  in  them.  Your  cab  suddenly  turns  a  corner.  The 
high  pointed  minaret  of  a  mosque  comes  into  view,  and  lo  ! 
you  are  in  a  wide  boulevard,  which  would  really  do  credit 
to  Brussels.  You  pass  a  many-domed  building,  the  Cathedral, 
and  presently  a  pretty  garden  behind  railings,  and  a  long 
handsome  building  with  sentries  at  the  entrance-gate — the 
Palace  of  Prince  Ferdinand.     You  are  in  modern  Sofia. 

After  a  wash  at  the  hotel,  I  went  to  the  Palace,  signed  my 
name  in  His  Royal  Highness's  visiting-book,  and  then  went 
forth  to  wander  in  the  streets. 

It  was  now  already  dark.  In  the  trees  of  the  central 
boulevard  thousands  of  rooks  were  cawing  and  circling  above, 
disturbed  by  the  lights  and  movement  of  the  street.  Men 
were  shouting  the  evening  newspapers  in  strident  voices,  and 
one  could  almost  imagine  oneself  back  on  the  Boulevard 
des  Italiens  at  the  absinthe  hour,  with  the  camelots  crying 
"  Via  la  Presse  f  "  Only,  in  Paris,  rooks  do  not  nest  in  the 
streets,  nor  do  the  watchmakers  have  twenty-four  inches  of 
space  and  a  chair  in  the  windows  of  the  smaller  cafes.  A 
walk  along  any  of  the  principal  streets  at  once  shows  the 
Bulgar  to  be  a  fighter,  for  the  display  of  arms  of  all  kinds, 
even  to  the  modern  Browning  automatic  pistol,  is  immense. 

Here,  one  is  really  in  the  Balkans.  The  last  official  census 
gives  sixty-six  Englishmen  and  forty-six  Englishwomen  in 
the  whole  of  Bulgaria.  I  met  six  only.  Uniforms,  upon 
Russian  models,  are  ever3rwhere — the  peaked  cap,  the  grey 
overcoat,  the  big  revolver.  Men  in  European  dress  jostle 
with  peasants  in  linen  blouses,  round  astrachan  caps,  and 
drab  blankets  around  them,  or  others  in  sheepskin  jackets 
with  the  wool  inside,  all  with  the  inevitable  round  Balkan 
cap  of  astrachan.  The  Turk,  too,  is  quite  at  home  and 
friendly  with  the  Christian,  and  modem  progress  is  typified 
by  the  electric  trams  whizzing  and  clanging  everywhere.     - 

Sofia  is  essentially  a  town  of  progress.  During  the  past 
eighteen  months  whole  streets  of  new  villas  have  sprung  up 
upon  its  outskirts,  and  such  a  rush  has  there  lately  been  for 
building  plots  that  our  Foreign  Office — who  want  to  build 


Peasants  in   Sofia  Market   Place. 


The  Old    iVIosqiie  ;   Sofia. 


SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY  183 

a  new  Legation — are  unable  to  get  any  decent  site  in  a  central 
position.  Sofia  is  just  now  in  the  transition  stage.  Great 
new  public  buildings  and  fine  boulevards  are  springing  up 
everywhere.  There  is  a  beautiful  new  theatre,  a  new  post 
oifice,  a  new  Agricultural  Bank,  and  hosts  of  minor  structures, 
all  spacious  and  well  built,  which,  in  themselves,  show  Bul- 
garia to  be  a  country  of  rapid  advancement. 

Unlike  some  other  Balkan  countries,  there  seems  no  lack 
of  money  here.  Just  now,  for  example,  it  is  proposed  to  ex- 
pend a  little  matter  of  fourteen  million  francs  upon  roads  in 
the  Principality,  and  the  cost  of  the  new  market-halls  and 
other  buildings  will  probably  be  prodigious. 

But  the  Bulgar  is  essentially  a  thrifty  person.  During 
the  past  twenty  years  he  has  transformed  his  capital  from  a 
wretched  little  Turkish  town  into  a  really  handsome  city. 
In  twenty  years  to  come,  at  the  present  rate  of  progress,  it 
will  be  the  Brussels  of  the  East,  for  it  is  modelled  upon  the 
same  plan. 
^ .  Sofia  is  a  city  of  quaint  contrasts.  Fine  modern  shops, 
where  one  can  obtain  the  latest  Parisian  perfumes,  the  latest 
French  modes,  or  expensive  table  delicacies,  are  hopelessly 
mixed  up  with  the  Turkish  stalls  where  sallow-faced  men 
are  squatting  at  work,  or  sitting  pensively  at  the  seat  of 
custom.  The  Sofia  tradesman  likes  to  expose  his  wares, 
whatever  they  may  be,  in  the  street,  for  in  that  he  still  retains 
the  trace  of  the  trade  manners  of  the  Turk.  The  pavements 
of  the  main  streets  are  heaped  with  wares — fish  in  barrels, 
meat,  groceries,  live  fowls,  live  pigs  tied  to  lamp-posts,  and 
among  it  all  jostle  the  passers-by. 

The  broad  Maria  Luisa  Ulitza,  the  Dondukoff  Boulevard, 
or  the  Pirotska  Ulitza  are,  on  a  Friday,  the  market-day, 
crowded  with  peasants  in  the  most  picturesque  costume  of 
all  the  Balkans.  Until  a  year  or  two  ago  the  skirts  and  head- 
dresses were  of  white  linen  embroidered,  but  in  these  modern 
times  the  women  dye  all  their  white  clothes  a  pale  blue. 
Therefore  they  all  seem  to  wear  the  same  delicate  shade. 
The  married  women  have  their  heads  covered  with  a  pale 
blue  handkerchief,  and  wear  a  heavy  silver  girdle;  but  the 


i84  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

village  maidens  all  have  their  hair  parted  in  the  middle  and 
hanc:ini::  in  a  hundred  small  plaits  with  sequins  down  their 
backs,  while  over  the  left  ear  they  wear  a  bunch  of  fresh 
flowers,  which  gives  them  a  most  coquettish  appearance.  The 
skirt  is  short,  always  hand-embroidered,  and  sometimes 
studded  with  gold  sequins,  while  over  all  is  worn  a  short 
jacket  of  sheepskin  with  the  wool  inside,  rendering  them 
somewhat  podgy. 

The  men  from  the  country,  a  fine  tall  race,  wear  em- 
broidered costumes,  the  jackets  of  dark  stuff  flowered  in 
pale  blue  and  ornamented  with  hundreds  of  pearl  buttons, 
tight  white  trousers  embroidered  at  the  knees,  and  the  in- 
e\'itable  round  cap,  without  which  no  Bulgar  is  complete. 
"^  I  spent  one  amusing  morning  with  Mr.  James  Bourchier. 
the  well-known  Balkan  correspondent  of  the  Times,  who  is 
six  months  each  year  resident  in  Sofia.  He  was  on  the  local 
committee  of  the  Balkan  Exhibition  at  Earl's  Court  while 
I  was  on  the  London  committee,  and  our  mission  was  to 
discover  in  the  market  some  good-looking  peasant  girls  to 
go  to  the  wilds  of  West  Kensington.  He  had  already  been 
to  several  villages,  but  the  girls,  he  said,  were  rather  chary  of 
going  so  far  from  home,  even  though  assured  by  their  local 
Mayor  of  their  well-being  and  safe  return. 

On  the  particular  day  of  our  visit  to  the  market  my 
journalistic  friend  had  arranged  to  meet  the  Mayor  of  one 
of  the  neighbouring  villages — a  peasant — and  with  his  aid 
try  induce  some  of  the  best-looking  girls  to  grace  the 
Bulgarian  Section  of  the  Exhibition.  The  village  Mayor 
being  prevented  from  joining  us,  we  determined  to  start 
upon  a  voyage  of  discovery  ourselves. 

It  was  a  rather  formidable  undertaking.  We,  however, 
spent  an  amusing  morning ;  but  though  we  talked  with  many 
comely  girls  with  flowers  in  their  hair,  we  somehow  were 
unable  to  impress  any  of  them  with  the  advantages  of  a 
free  trip  to  London.  Unfortunately,  they  did  not  take  us 
at  all  seriously ;  there  was  a  good  deal  of  tittering  at  our 
proposals,  and  the  market  with  its  vegetables,  its  sucking- 
pigs  on  strings,   and  its  turkeys  tied  head  downwards  on 


His   Excellency    Dr.    Dimitri   Stancioff. 
Bulgarian    Minister   of    Foreign    Affairs. 


SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY  185 

cross-sticks,  was  drawn  blank.  We  could  only  hope  that 
next  Friday,  with  the  presence  of  the  confidence-inspiring 
Mayor,  we  might  be  more  successful. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  few  days  later,  accompanied  by 
my  friend,  M.  Dimitri  Standoff,  of  the  Commercial  Depart- 
ment of  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs,  and  M.  Mandersheff, 
another  functionary  from  the  same  Ministry,  we  took  carriages 
out  to  the  picturesque  village  of  Vladaja,  some  seventeen 
kilometres  from  Sofia  on  the  broad  highroad  that  leads  to 
Kustendil  and  Macedonia.  The  drive  was  a  delightful  one 
in  the  bright  winter  sunshine,  through  a  fertile  undulating 
country,  until,  turning  off  from  the  well-kept  military  road, 
we  found  ourselves  in  a  small  village  lying  in  a  deep  dark 
ravine. 

Here  the  costumes  were  very  quaint  and  interesting, 
the  men  in  long  blouses  of  white  blanket-like  woollen  stuff 
trimmed  with  black,  raw-hide  shoes,  and  their  legs  bound 
with  leather  thongs ;  while  the  women  and  girls  wore  gay 
colours,  short  lace-edged  petticoats,  and  quantities  of  gold 
sequins  and  coins  about  their  necks.  Some  of  those  strings 
of  coins  were  worth  at  least  from  fifteen  to  twenty  pounds. 

Our  journey  of  investigation  was  distinctly  humorous. 
Sometimes  the  four  of  us  could  not  agree  as  to  the  personal 
beauty  of  a  fair  candidate  for  the  approbation  of  the  British 
public,  while  those  we  spoke  to  were  mostly  shy  to  answer 
our  questions.  Many  of  the  village  girls  flatly  refused  to 
leave  their  homes  unless  their  lovers  were  also  employed  in 
the  Exhibition,  but  after  much  explanation,  a  good  deal  of 
chaff,  and  considerable  giggling,  the  names  of  several  were 
taken  in  order  that  inquiries  should  be  made  of  the  village 
Mayor  before  the  presentation  and  signature  of  their  agree- 
ment, which  provided  for  their  fare  to  London,  the  payment 
of  their  wages,  their  insurance  for  the  benefit  of  their  family 
in  case  of  accident,  and  their  safe  return  to  Bulgaria  at  the 
termination  of  the  Exhibition. 

We  engaged  one  flute-player — a  tall,  dark-faced  young 
giant  in  sheepskins  —  after  he  had  displayed  his  aptness 
with    his   instrument.      The  local  han,  wherein    we    rested. 


i86  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

dnmk  rakhi,  and  ate  cream-cheese,  was  a  big  common  room 
with  earthen  tloor.  In  the  centre  was  a  large  stove,  upon 
which  was  cooking  some  steaming  dish  with  appetising 
odour.  Around  us  sat  dozens  of  huge  burly  fellows,  bulky 
in  their  sheepskins,  gossiping  and  drinking  wine,  a  fierce- 
looking  assembly,  to  be  sure,  and  yet  withal  extremely  good- 
humoured. 

After  a  while,  the  village  musician  was  discovered,  a  short 
little  fellow  who  played  a  quaint  kind  of  two-stringed  violin, 
and  almost  as  soon  as  he  sounded  the  weird,  plaintive  music, 
young  girls  with  flowers  entwined  in  their  long  plaited  tresses, 
and  others,  slightly  older,  with  the  white  handkerchiefs  on 
their  heads — the  badge  of  matrimony — came  trooping  forth 
to  perform  for  us  the  national  dance — the  horo. 

Forming  in  a  line,  the  youths  and  maidens  crossed  arms, 
linked  their  hands  in  each  other's  belts,  and  then  began  a 
curious  kind  of  dance,  keeping  step  with  the  music  and  ever 
advancing  and  retreating,  keeping  it  up  for  a  full  half-hour. 
Now  and  then  the  tune  was  changed,  and  with  the  tune  the 
dance. 

In  the  clear  Eastern  afterglow  of  evening,  with  the  thin 
crescent  moon  slowly  rising,  it  was  a  quaint  and  curious 
scene.  The  weird  music,  the  strange  costumes,  the  cries  of 
the  dancers,  and  the  merry  laughter  of  the  girls,  will  long 
live  within  my  memory  as  a  picture  worthy  the  brush  of  a 
great  painter. 

And  as  we  drove  back  to  Sofia  through  the  silent,  starlit 
night,  I  wondered  what  impression  those  simple-minded  folk, 
so  far  removed  from  Western  civilisation,  would  receive  of 
our  fairy-lamps,  pasteboard,  tinsel,  imitation  mountains, 
brass  bands,  and  water-chute  at  Earl's  Court  ! 

What  would  be  the  stories  of  their  adventures  in  West 
Kensington  and  the  wonders  of  London  when  they  returned 
to  remote  Vladaja  ? 

I  had,  like  every  other  Englishman,  always  regarded 
Bulgaria  as  a  terra  incognita,  where  local  manufactures  were 
absent  and  where  most  goods  were  imported.  Therefore  a 
surprise  awaited  me  one  day  when  Monsieur  M.  V.  Lascoff, 


SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY  187 

Director  of  the  Bulgarian  Commercial  and  Industrial  Museum 
at  Sofia,  took  me  round  that  institution,  and  showed  me 
specimens  of  the  various  goods  produced  in  the  country.  In 
the  museum  was  a  most  wonderful  collection  of  articles 
representing  the  manufactures  of  Bulgaria,  ranging  from 
violins  to  soap,  and  from  table-covers  manufactured  from 
beautifully  embroidered  jacket  sleeves  to  writing-ink  and 
tinned  fruits. 

One  of  the  prominent  industries  is  the  distillation  of 
otto-of-roses  in  the  Shipka  district,  where  in  summer  the  whole 
country  is  covered  with  blossom,  an  industry  to  which  I 
will  devote  a  chapter.  Carpets,  very  similar  to  the  dark 
crimson-and-blue  Persian  varieties,  and  goat-hair  floor-cover- 
ings are  made  largely  by  the  peasantry,  who  also  weave  by 
hand  wonderfully  fine  gauzes,  tissues,  and  dress-stuffs.  Felt 
hats,  blankets,  pottery,  and  copies  of  antique  filigree  jewellery 
are  also  of  peasant  manufacture,  and  are  really  wonderfully 
done.  The  stranger  has  no  idea,  until  shown  this  museum, 
of  the  rapid  progress  the  country  is  making  commercially. 

While  passing  round  the  museum  I  chanced  to  admire 
two  pairs  of  very  fine  antique  silver  earrings  of  rare  design 
worn  by  the  Bulgarian  peasants  two  centuries  ago,  whereupon 
the  case  was  at  once  opened,  and  they  were  presented  to  me 
as  a  little  souvenir  of  my  visit. 

Sofia,  being  a  brand-new  city,  is  not,  of  course,  quite 
perfect.  It  requires,  among  other  things,  a  good  system  of 
drainage  and  the  repavement  of  its  streets.  The  latter  work 
is  to  be  commenced  in  a  few  months'  time.  A  good  first-class 
hotel,  too,  is  also  badly  required.  At  present  the  hotels, 
though  clean,  are  poor  and  comfortless,  and  neither  they 
nor  the  restaurants  do  credit  to  the  go-ahead  character  of 
the  progressive  Bulgarians.  All  this,  however,  will  soon  be 
remedied,  for  I  heard  of  schemes  for  new  hotels  with  fine 
restaurants  and  winter-gardens.  So  in  six  months'  time  the 
traveller  may  expect  to  be  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  them, 
for  in  Sofia  they  do  not  talk,  but  act. 

If  you  are  anywhere  in  the  Balkans  and  mention  Sofia, 
you  will  be  told,  with  a  sigh  of  regret,  "  Ah !    they  have  a 


i88  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

dub  there.  We  haven't."  I  had  heard  this  in  Belgrade,  in 
Sarayevo,  in  Ragusa,  in  Cettinje — in  fact,  everywhere  through- 
out the  Balkans;  therefore,  with  some  curiosity  I  entered 
the  sacred  portals  of  the  much-talked-of  club  with  my  friend 
Colonel  Hubert  du  Cane,  the  British  military  attach(^,  and 
was  elected  a  member  during  my  stay  in  the  Bulgarian  capital. 

It  certainly  is  a  most  excellent  and  comfortable  club — 
one  of  the  best  I  know  of  on  the  whole  of  the  Continent.  The 
rooms  are  cosy  and  artistic,  and  the  members  are  most  diplo- 
mats, Cabinet  Ministers,  and  high  functionaries  of  the  State. 
At  lunch,  representatives  of  most  of  the  European  Powers 
assemble  at  the  long  table  and  chat  merrily,  while  at  dinner, 
at  the  small  table  at  the  end,  M.  Petkoff,i  the  Premier ;  Dr. 
Dimitri  Stancioff,  the  Foreign  Minister;  and  several  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  dine  nightly  at  "  the  Ministers'  table." 

The  food  is  excellent,  though  there  are,  of  course,  some 
grumblers,  and  the  whole  institution  is  conducted  on  similar 
lines  to  a  first-class  London  club.  Perhaps  the  custom  of 
personally  introducing  the  stranger  to  every  single  member 
of  the  club  strikes  the  foreigner  as  a  little  unnecessary,  yet 
without  doubt  there  is  real  good-fellowship  existing,  such  as 
is  entirely  absent  in  some  other  clubs  I  know — the  English 
Club  in  Brussels  and  the  Florence  Club  in  Florence,  in  particular. 

Men,  and  especially  the  diplomats,  find  it  a  very  great 
boon,  for  to  go  to  Sofia  is  to  find  a  real  good  club  and  quite 
a  host  of  good  cosmopolitan  friends  ever  ready  to  show  the 
stranger  all  kinds  of  hospitality. 

Social  life  is  far  from  dull.  Sport  and  games  of  every  kind 
are  most  popular.  There  is  an  excellent  tennis  club,  hockey 
is  played  three  or  four  times  a  week,  and  large  riding  parties, 
personally  conducted  by  Baron  Rubin  de  Cervin,  the  Italian 
military  attache,  go  out  for  long  jaunts  into  the  neighbouring 
mountains  several  times  each  week.  Then  at  night  there  are 
constant  dinners  and  receptions  at  the  Legations,  and  everyone 
seems  to  lead  a  very  pleasant  life,  without  a  moment's  dulness. 

Lady  Buchanan,  wife  of  Sir  George  Buchanan,  the  British 

'  M.   Petkoff  has,  since  the  present   work  has  been  in  the  press,  been 
assassinated  while  walking  in  the  Boris  Garden  in  Sofia. 


His    Excellency    D.    Petkoff, 
Prime    Minister   of    Bulgaria. 


SOFIA  OF  TO-DAY  189 

Minister,  is  the  principal  hostess,  and  with  her  daughter  is 
foremost  in  Sofia  society.  Until  ill-health  prevented  her 
recently,  she  was  an  ardent  player  of  hockey  and  tennis,  and 
constantly  in  the  saddle.  Her  entertainments  are  always 
brilliant,  and  in  her  pretty  salon  one  meets  everyone  who  is 
anyone  in  Sofia. 

Again,  the  Military  Club  is  another  centre  of  social  life. 
The  building  is  a  handsome  one,  with  an  extremely  fine  ball- 
room, where  dances,  given  every  week  through  the  season, 
are  attended  by  the  elite  of  Sofia.  I  went  to  one,  and 
found  it  a  particularly  gay  and  brilliant  function. 

Government  institutions  in  Sofia  amazed  me.  They 
would  do  credit  to  any  European  capital.  The  Agricultural 
Bank,  the  inner  working  of  which  I  was  permitted  by  Monsieur 
N.  Ghenadieff,  Minister  of  Commerce,  to  inspect,  is  a  fine 
new  building  of  huge  dimensions,  with  a  beautifully  orna- 
mented board-room,  and  its  operations  no  doubt  tend  much 
towards  securing  the  public  prosperity  of  Bulgaria.  M. 
Seraphimoff,  the  Governor,  who  conducted  me  round,  told 
me  that  the  bank  had  its  origin  in  the  time  of  the  Turkish 
rule.  As  far  back  as  1863,  the  Governor  of  the  vilayet  of 
the  Danube  created  small  banks  in  order  to  aid  the  peasants, 
the  villagers  repaying  their  loans  in  crops  and  the  banks 
selling  the  produce. 

During  the  Russo-Turkish  War,  however,  many  of  these 
banks  lost  their  capital,  for  the  Turkish  functionaries  escaped 
with  all  the  funds  they  could  place  their  hands  upon.  The 
Provisional  Russian  Government  re-established  the  banks, 
and  they  have  continued  to  progress  until  the  present  institu- 
tion was  founded.  It  now  has  eighty-five  branch  ofiices  in 
the  principal  towns  and  agents  in  most  of  the  villages.  Its 
direction  is  under  a  governor  and  four  directors  nominated 
by  Prince  Ferdinand.  The  operations  of  the  institution  are 
as  follows  :  to  accept  deposits  ;  to  grant  loans  on  mortgages 
or  securities  ;  to  grant  loans  upon  cattle  and  agricultural 
produce ;  to  advance  money  to  the  peasants  for  the  purchase 
of  cattle,  seeds,  or  agricultural  implements ;  to  make  personal 
loans ;    to  open  current   accounts  with  peasants ;    to  buy 


I90  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

amicultiiral  implements,  seeds,  and  machinery  for  the  peasants; 
to  accept  loans  for  departments  or  communes  ;  and  for  the 
transfer  of  securities.  The  interest  charged  or  given  is  5 
per  cent,  for  deposits  for  five  years,  4  per  cent,  for  three  years, 
and  3  per  cent,  for  one  year.  In  1901  the  amount  of  the 
bank's  operations  was  535,575,182  francs,  while  in  1905  it 
amounted  to  1,180,778,378  francs,  thus  showing  how  greatly 
it  is  appreciated  by  the  peasant,  and  of  what  enormous  benefit 
it  is  to  the  country. 

While  there,  I  saw  many  uncouth  peasants  in  their  sheep- 
skins from  far-distant  villages  come  and  obtain  loans,  repay 
their  interest,  or  make  petition  for  their  inability  to  pay. 
It  is  very  apparent  that  all  of  them  greatly  appreciate  the 
fact  that  the  Government  is  their  creditor  and  not  the  Jews. 

Another  institution  which  I  inspected  was  the  State 
printing  press,  a  fine  building  containing  the  latest  machinery ; 
and  afterwards  I  was  shown  the  building  of  the  magnificent 
new  church  of  St.  Alexander  Newsky,  which,  being  constructed 
in  blocks  of  white  stone  just  behind  the  old  church  of  St. 
Sophia,  is  costing  over  three  million  francs,  and  is  to  be  in 
memory  of  the  Russian  liberator  of  Bulgaria. 

Truly,  everywhere  one  turns  in  Sofia  one  sees  some  new 
buildings,  for  signs  of  rapid  progress  and  up-to-dateness  are 
on  every  hand. 

Bulgaria,  with  Servia,  is  surely  destined  to  expand  in 
the  near  future,  and  the  "  big  Bulgaria  "  must  some  day  ere 
long  be  an  accomplished  fact. 


The   Royal   Palace  :   Sofia. 


The   Main    Boulevard  ;   Sofia. 


CHAPTER    II 

BULGARIA  AS  A  FIELD  FOR  BRITISH 
ENTERPRISE 

Audiences  of  members  of  the  Bulgarian  Cabinet — Dr.Dimitri  Standoff, Minister 
for  Foreign  Affairs,  the  coming  man  of  Bulgaria — His  policy — Facts 
about  the  mineral  wealth  and  mining  laws — Advice  to  traders  and 
capitalists  by  the  British  Vice-Consul  in  Sofia — Our  methods  as  com- 
pared with  those  of  other  nations. 

ONE  of  the  objects  of  my  observations  being  to  point  out 
where  British  capital  can,  with  advantage  and  security, 
be  employed  in  the  Balkans,  I  made,  while  in  Sofia,  very 
careful  and  exhaustive  inquiry. 

Information  was  given  me  by  the  late  Premier,  M.  D.  Petkoff ; 
the  new  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  Dr.  Dimitri  Stancioff; 
and  by  M.  Ghenadieff,  the  Minister  of  Commerce,  who  was 
also  interesting  himself  very  actively  in  the  Balkan  Exhibition 
at  Earl's  Court.  To  these  three  members  of  the  Bulgarian 
Cabinet,  and  to  His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Ferdinand  himself, 
I  have  to  acknowledge  my  thanks  for  placing  all  information 
at  my  disposal.  The  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs  deputed 
his  cousin.  Monsieur  D.  M.  Stancioff,  of  the  Commercial 
Department  of  the  Ministry,  to  accompany  me  everywhere 
and  explain  everything.  I  was  given  a  perfectly  free  hand 
to  go  when  and  where  I  liked,  and,  as  His  Excellency  put  it, 
"  to  see  Bulgaria  just  as  I  pleased." 

The  Bulgarians  are  nothing  if  not  thoroughly  business- 
like. I  was  particularly  requested  by  the  Ministers  not  to 
paint  the  country  in  couleur  de  rose.  One  member  of  the 
Cabinet  said,  as  I  stood  in  the  corner  of  the  ballroom  of  the 

191 


u)2  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THi:  NEAR  EAST 

Military  Club  one  night,  "  We  would  like  the  English  to 
know  exactly  what  they  can  find  in  Bulgaria,  and  how  we 
shall  treat  them.  Don't  flatter  us,  and  cause  English  capitalists 
to  expect  too  much.  We  have  good  paying  investments  for 
them — if  they  will  only  come  here," 

I  took  a  good  deal  of  trouble  in  going  very  minutely  into 
this  very  important  question,  and  found  the  Government 
ready  and  eager  to  give  every  facility  to  British  capitalists 
to  exploit  the  great  mineral  wealth  in  their  country.  The 
mining  laws  are  just,  and  extremely  favourable  to  secure 
absolute  rights  to  those  who  invest.  The  Government  have 
established  in  Sofia  a  Mining  Department  under  the  Ministry 
of  Commerce,  where  specimens  of  ore  may  be  seen,  and  where 
every  information  can  be  obtained.  By  the  courtesy  of 
M.  T.  Michailowsky,  the  able  Director  of  this  Department,  I 
was  afforded  an  opportunity  of  inspecting  the  various  collec- 
tions, and  was  given  much  information  of  intense  interest. 

It  seems  that  up  to  the  present  time  the  Government 
have  given  thirty-one  concessions,  mostly  to  French,  Russian, 
Belgian,  and  Italian  capitalists.  Of  these,  sixteen  are  for 
coal,  four  for  copper,  two  for  manganese,  two  for  iron,  two 
for  lead,  two  for  zinc,  and  one  for  oil-bearing  minerals.  There 
are  no  English  companies  in  Bulgaria  at  present,  but  I  was  in- 
formed by  the  Minister  of  Commerce  that  the  greatest  attention 
would  be  paid  to  any  serious  application  from  England. 
There  are  known  to  exist  in  the  district  of  Bourgas,  on  the 
Black  Sea,  very  rich  copper  deposits,  also  in  the  Vraza  district, 
and  in  Belogradjik,  near  the  Danube. 

Two  kinds  of  "  permits  for  research  "  are  granted  by  the 
Government.  The  first — a  general  one  to  search  in  any  part 
of  Bulgaria — is  given  free,  but  with  a  personal  guarantee  that 
any  damage  done  will  be  made  good.  The  second  is  a  permit 
for  a  special  place,  which  must  not  be  of  greater  extent  than 
8,000,000  square  metres,  and  for  this  is  charged  eighty  francs. 
This  lasts  for  two  years.  After  this  time,  if  a  concession  is 
desired,  the  Department  make  inquiries  in  order  to  see  if 
the  proposed  mine  bears  sufl&cient  to  justify  its  working. 
This  having  been  decided — which  takes  about  a  month,  or 


His    Excellency    N.    Ghenadieff,    Bulgarian    Minister  of  Commerce. 


BULGARIA  AS  A  FIELD  FOR  ENTERPRISE     193 

at  most  two — the  Prince  issues  a  decree,  and  the  concession 
is  granted  for  ever.  No  deposit  is  required,  but  the  Govern- 
ment takes,  for  each  hectare,  three  francs  per  annum  for  coals,  and 
four  francs  per  annum  for  minerals.  They  also  tax  the  output 
at  the  rate  of  one  per  cent.  Machinery  and  material  enter 
the  country  free  of  duty,  and  as  far  as  I  was  able  to  judge, 
the  Bulgarians  make  excellent  workmen,  being  very  sober, 
industrious,  and  obedient.  At  present,  however,  there  is 
large  emigration,  for  there  is  not  sufficient  work  for  the  four 
and  a  half  millions  of  people  in  the  country. 

One  colliery  is  worked  by  the  Government  at  Pernik,  and 
this  supplies  the  railways,  the  city  of  Sofia,  and  the  many 
industrial  enterprises  with  about  200,000  tons  of  excellent 
coal  yearly.  All  the  other  mines  are  just  starting  to  work, 
and  show  prospects  of  splendid  profits. 

The  copper  mine  at  Vraza,  which  is  exploited  by  Monsieur 
Maurocordato  of  Constantinople  —  who  has  invested  about 
600,000  francs — has,  in  two  years,  repaid  itself,  thus  showing 
that  there  are  mines  in  Bulgaria,  and  very  rich  ones  indeed. 

All  the  concessions  already  granted  show  great  futures, 
but  unfortunately,  with  the  exception  of  the  Vraza  enterprise, 
the  concessionaires  lack  capital. 

The  Bulgarian  Mining  Law  is  a  very  liberal  one,  being 
an  exception  to  the  laws  of  most  other  countries,  for  it  has 
been  drawn  up  specially  to  induce  the  investment  of  foreign 
capital,  as  well  as  to  secure  the  interests  of  shareholders.  The 
people  of  Bulgaria  are  not  rich  enough  to  exploit  their  mines 
themselves,  and  for  that  reason  the  mining  industry  of  the 
country  must  of  necessity  be  in  the  hands  of  the  foreigner. 

When  making  my  inquiries,  M.  R.  S.  Kossef,  Director  of 
the  Commercial  Department  of  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs, 
was  most  particular  that  I  should  say  nothing  that  was  not 
absolutely  true  regarding  the  mines.  "  We  do  not  wish  to 
attract  capitalists  to  Bulgaria  by  means  of  advertisement," 
he  said.  "  We  wish  them  to  know  that  they  will  here  find 
a  good  return  for  their  investments,  and  that  if  they  exploit 
our  mines,  we,  on  our  part,  will  treat  them  justly — even 
generously." 
13 


104  '^^  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Resides  minerals,  Bulgaria  is  extremely  rich  in  mineral 
springs— the  one  at  Banki,  seventeen  kilometres  from  Sofia, 
being  about  to  be  exploited  this  year,  when  a  very  handsome 
bath  establishment  and  hotel  are  to  be  constructed.  The 
source  is  situated  in  the  valley  beneath  the  Lubin  mountain, 
and  an  automobile  service  is  to  be  established  with  Sofia. 
This  spring  gives  1200  litres  a  minute,  and  has  been  pro- 
nounced by  a  number  of  first-class  authorities  in  Germany 
and  France  to  be  a  water  almost  unexcelled  in  Europe.  Other 
springs  abound  all  over  the  country,  and  so  important  are 
they,  indeed,  that  the  Government  have  issued  a  large  coloured 
map  of  them. 

In  Sofia  itself,  close  to  the  old  mosque,  are  well-known 
sulphur  baths.  There  is  a  project  for  building  a  bath  estab- 
lishment, but  to  do  so  it  would  mean  the  pulling  down  of 
the  mosque  in  question.  The  Turks  would  not  object  so 
much  if  a  new  mosque  could  be  built,  but  it  seems  that  the 
difficulties  of  construction  are  very  great,  so  for  the  present 
the  matter  remains  in  abeyance. 

In  the  whole  of  Bulgaria  over  two  hundred  thermal  and 
mineral  springs  are  known,  and  they  are  situated  in  eighty 
different  districts.  The  department  of  Sofia  alone  contains 
twenty-three,  the  warmest  being  at  Dolna-Banja.  The  more 
important  of  the  others  are  at  Kniajevo,  Gorva,  Banja,  and 
Pantcherevo.  Then  there  are  the  renowned  warm  springs  at 
Verschetz,  in  the  department  of  Vratza,  while  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Plovdiv  (Philippopoli)  there  are  more  than  forty  springs, 
the  principal  of  them  being  at  Hissar.  This,  perhaps  the 
most  reputed  in  all  the  Orient,  is  situated  in  the  valley 
of  Tchepino,  in  the  centre  of  the  Rhodopes  Mountains.  At 
Lidji,  near  Bourgas,  and  at  Sliven,  there  are  establishments 
on  the  latest  modern  principle.  Another  which  is  being 
actively  exploited  is  the  waters  of  Meritchteri,  in  Stara- 
Zagora,  which  are  declared  by  analysts  to  be  quite  equal  to 
those  of  Carlsbad,  and  which  are  believed  to  have  a  great 
future  before  them.  Dr.  Ernst  Hintz,  of  Wiesbaden,  has 
written  a  book  upon  these  particular  waters,  and  has  given 
exhaustive  analyses. 


Early   Morning  in  Sofia. 


On  the  road  to  theShipka. 


BULGARIA  AS  A  FIELD  FOR  ENTERPRISE     195 

There  are  also  minor  waters  in  the  town  of  Kustendil 
and  in  dozens  of  other  villages  and  towns  all  over  Bulgaria. 

Again,  to  encourage  intending  pioneers  of  new  branches 
of  industry,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  industries  in 
actual  existence  are  making  great  progress.  The  numerous 
spinning  mills  and  cloth  factories  in  Eastern  Roumelia  have 
been  enlarged,  while  the  Varna  Cotton  Mill,  whose  head- 
quarters are  in  Manchester,  employs  nearly  seven  hundred 
hands,  and  in  1905  paid  a  dividend  of  10  per  cent. 

As  regards  British  trade  in  Bulgaria,  the  attention  of  the 
English  manufacturer  has  been  repeatedly  drawn,  in  trade 
reports  from  the  Consulate  in  Sofia,  to  the  energetic  measures 
adopted  by  foreign  competitors  to  secure  the  Bulgarian 
market  for  themselves.  As  Germany's  rivalry  is  by  far  the 
most  formidable,  it  may  be  well  to  briefly  illustrate  the  methods 
by  which  that  country  is  steadily  absorbing  the  trade  of  the 
Near  East,  as  explained  to  me  by  Mr.  Toulmin,  British  Vice- 
Consul  in  Sofia.  Not  only  do  the  principal  German  importers 
have  capable  agents  established  in  the  more  important  towns 
throughout  Bulgaria  to  push  the  sale  of  their  goods,  but  they 
also  send  at  regular  intervals  experienced  travellers  who 
thoroughly  investigate  the  commercial  condition  of  the  country 
in  its  various  trade  centres,  take  note  of  the  wants  and  re- 
quirements of  the  population,  and  enter  into  direct  relations 
with  the  retail  trader.  They  are,  moreover,  instructed  to 
do  business  at  any  cost,  and  are  authorised  to  give  credit 
for  a  year  or  even  longer.  By  their  readiness  to  accept  the 
smallest  order,  by  scrupulously  adhering  to  conditions  and 
specifications,  and  by  strictly  supplying  goods  according  to 
sample  approved,  German  importers  are  now  reaping  the 
fruits  of  a  painstaking  and  methodical  commercial  policy, 
which  menaces  even  Austria-Hungary's  hitherto  unassailed 
supremacy.  The  importance,  therefore,  of  sending  out  to 
Bulgaria  representatives  with  some  knowledge  of  French  or 
German  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  on  British  manu- 
facturers. It  may  be  well  to  mention  that  a  gentleman, 
representing  a  well-known  Birmingham  firm  dealing  in  hard- 
ware, called  at  the  Consulate  at  Sofia  a  few  mouths  ago,  and 


196  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

expressed  himself  as  highly  satisfied  with  the  result  of  his 
fortnight's  business  tour  in  Bulgaria. 

By  the  employment  of  commercial  travellers,  the  trans- 
lation of  their  catalogues,  if  not  into  Bulgarian,  at  any  rate 
into  French  or  German,  the  use  of  the  metric  system  of  weights 
and  measures,  the  conversion  of  sterling  into  francs  and 
centimes,  and  by  giving  longer  credit — by  these  means  only 
can  British  merchants  hope  to  compete  successfully  with 
their  foreign  rivals. 


CHAPTER    III 
WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR? 

A  sitting  of  the  Sobranje — Declarations  by  the  Prime  Minister  and  Dr. 
StanciofE — The  new  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs — A  sound  progressive 
government — Strong  army  and  firm  poHcy — Will  the  deplorable  state 
of  Macedonia  still  be  tolerated  ? — Ominous  words. 

IT  was  a  bitterly  cold  November  evening  when,  accom- 
panied by  Sir  George  Buchanan,  I  entered  the  Sobranje, 
or  Bulgarian  Parliament,  to  hear  the  Ministerial  statement 
upon  the  future  policy  of  Bulgaria  and  her  attitude  towards 
Turkey. 

A  great  high-roofed  square  chamber,  enamelled  entirely 
in  white  and  picked  out  with  gold.  At  one  end  a  high,  red- 
carpeted  dais  with  the  throne,  behind  which  hung  a  full- 
length  portrait  of  Prince  Ferdinand.  Upon  an  escutcheon 
above,  the  Bulgarian  lion  on  a  crimson  shield.  Below  the 
empty  throne,  a  long  red-covered  table,  where  sat  the  Presi- 
dent, a  short,  grey-haired  little  man,  who  from  time  to  time 
rang  a  musical  gong ;  and  in  the  arena,  on  a  scarlet  carpet, 
rows  of  horse-shoe  benches  half  filled  by  deputies.  On  the 
right,  at  a  table  placed  at  an  angle,  sat  the  Ministers.  First 
was  Monsieur  Petkoff,  the  Prime  Minister,  the  most  prominent 
man  in  Bulgaria,  and  who  has,  alas !  since  shared  the  fate  of 
his  friend  the  late  Stambouloff ;  next  Dr.  Stancioff,  the  newly 
appointed  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs ;  the  Minister  of  War 
in  a  dark  blue  uniform  with  a  white  cross  at  his  throat ;  and 
the  Ministers  of  Justice,  Commerce,  and  Finance. 

Above,  around  three  sides  of  the  huge  white-and-gold 
hall,  the  galleries  were  crowded  by  the  public,  while  over 


u)S  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

all  biij  arc  lamps  shed  their  white  brilliancy.  With  us  in 
the  diplomats'  gallery  sat  the  Prince's  confidential  secretary, 
M.  Dobrovitch,  the  German  Minister,  the  representatives  of 
Turkey  and  Roumania,  Colonel  H.  du  Cane,  the  British 
military  attach^,  and  numbers  of  other  diplomats. 

The  House  was  silent.  Every  ear  was  strained  to  catch 
the  Premier's  words,  for  it  was  he  who  was  now  speaking. 
A  rather  short,  grey-bearded  figure,  just  past  the  prime, 
whose  left  hand  as  he  gesticulated  only  showed  a  stump.  He 
lost  it  at  the  Shipka,  and  as  patriot  and  politician  he  was  leader 
of  his  party — a  party  of  progress,  that  has  been  four  years 
in  power  with  an  overwhelming  majority. 

For  the  past  four  hours  he  had  been  speaking  fluently, 
easily,  without  interruption,  forecasting  the  future  policy 
of  Bulgaria — the  policy  which  is  designed  to  lead  the  country 
to  prosperity.  Bulgaria  had  long  waited  for  this,  and  every 
word  was  now  being  listened  to  with  rapt  attention. 

On  those  benches  below  sat  representatives  of  the  people, 
men  of  every  class — lawyers,  shopkeepers,  peasants  in  their 
white  linen  or  brown  homespun  suits,  and  even  Turks.  Surely 
this  Sobranje  is  essentially  a  representative  gathering. 

Now  and  then  came  a  spontaneous  outburst  of  applause, 
very  marked  when  the  Prime  Minister  dwelt  upon  the  cordial 
relations  with  Roumania  and  their  identical  aims  with  regard 
to  Macedonia.  Everyone  applauded — all  save  one  little 
section  of  benches  on  the  extreme  left — a  mere  handful  of 
men — the  Opposition.  So  small  are  they  that  they  really 
do  not  seem  to  count.  Nobody  took  any  notice  of  them.  With 
their  backs  to  the  holy  ikon  of  burnished  gold  and  highly 
finished  religious  pictures,  they  sat  facing  the  Ministers,  who 
were,  of  course,  ever  confronted  by  the  emblem  of  their  faith. 

This  speech,  being  in  Bulgarian,  was  kindly  translated 
to  me  by  M.  Dobrovitch,  the  Prince's  private  secretary.  He 
said — 

"  To-day  neither  the  Macedonian  people  nor  Bulgaria 
nor  Turkey  are  the  same  states  which  they  were  fifteen  years 
ago.  In  consideration  of  the  solution  of  the  Macedonian 
question,  we  have  to  reckon  with  several  factors.     The  most 


Gen.    Michael    Savoff,     Bulgarian    Minister    of    War 


WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR  ?  199 

important  of  them  is  that  we  ought  to  be  ready  at  a  moment's 
notice.  We  have  to  be  strong  !  Europe  acts  and  reforms  in 
Macedonia.  No  Bulgarian  Government  can  foresee  what  to 
expect  or  how  the  events  will  develop  themselves.  We  must 
try  to  be  one  of  the  arbitrary  factors  in  the  solution  of  the 
Macedonian  question,  and  therefore  we  must  be  armed.  We 
have  no  intention  of  annexing  Macedonia,  but  we  wish  to 
better  the  positions  of  our  compatriots.  It  is  in  the  interest 
of  Turkey  to  reform  Macedonia  and  to  shake  off  all  exterior 
influence.  When  even  Roumania  arms  herself  for  a  few 
countrymen,  ought  we  not  also  to  arm  ?  We  are  only  a 
small  nation,  but  in  order  to  be  safe  we  ought  to  have  a  strong 
army.  It  is  said  that  such  an  army  would  be  a  luxury. 
That  would  be  only  the  case,  then,  if  we  could  not  help  our- 
selves without  assistance.  It  is  our  duty  to  keep  an  army 
ready,  for  it  is  only  in  so  doing  that  we  shall  be  considered  of 
any  consequence  when  the  solution  of  the  Macedonian  question 
arrives.  A  weak  country  is  of  no  importance.  Such  a  country 
only  serves  as  a  toy  for  others. 

"  With  regard  to  her  culture,  agriculture,  and  her  politics, 
Bulgaria  is  to-day  in  a  different  condition  than  heretofore. 
Though  we  do  not  acknowledge  any  progress,  other  countries 
see  that  Bulgaria  has  made  in  twenty  years  a  very  great  progress 
and  that  she  still  is  developing  in  large  strides.  We  possess 
in  the  Balkan  Peninsula  a  very  important  point,  where  many 
interests  join.  The  most  important,  however,  is  to  hope 
and  to  rely  on  our  own  strength." 

Dealing  with  the  foreign  policy  of  Bulgaria,  the  Prime 
Minister  said — 

"  They  tell  us  that  Bulgaria  has  no  friends.  On  the 
contrary,  we  possess  the  friendship  of  all  States.  Our  relations 
with  other  nations  are  not  at  all  the  same  as  we  found  them 
in  the  beginning.  No  unimportant  contretemps  can  disturb 
our  relations  with  Russia.  I  am  in  the  position  to  proclaim 
that  Bulgaria  possesses  the  sympathy  of  all  other  nations. 
The  fact  that  our  commercial  contract  with  Austria-Hungary 
is  not  yet  signed  does  not  say  that  our  relations  with  each  other 
are  not  friendly.     Even  the  two  parties  of  that  country  are 


200  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

not  on  good  terms,  and  they  cannot  decide  the  contract. 
M.  Todoroff  has  said  that  our  relations  to  Turkey  are  rather 
strained.  That  is  not  true :  it  is  the  most  difficult  thing  to 
enter  into  any  contracts  with  Turkey.  In  spite  of  those 
difficulties,  we  have  signed  some  smaller  contracts.  It  is  also 
said  that  Servia  has  been  playing  with  us,  in  not  showing  us 
the  tariff  unions  of  the  Skupshtina.  Now,  Servia  is  under 
pressure  from  Austria-Hungary,  and  at  the  time  that  this 
proposition  was  brought  before  the  Skupshtina  it  could  not 
be  carried  by  a  majority  of  two  votes.  That  was  not  sufficient 
for  us.  Servia  began  to  export  her  goods  vui  Varna,  and  up 
to  to-day  no  fewer  than  4000  waggons  of  corn  have  been 
exported  vid  Varna.     Is  that  no  success  for  our  railways  ? 

"  Our  relations  with  our  neighbours  are  formed  on  a  purely 
economical  basis.  We  mean  to  further  our  industry  !  But 
this  economical  basis  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  great  and 
pressing  Macedonian  question.  We  only  wish  to  keep  up 
friendly  relations  with  Roumania.  We  try  to  keep  our  re- 
lations with  our  neighbours  in  order,  and  we  count  upon 
success.  In  which  way  shall  we  reach  this  success  ?  That 
surely  is  our  own  affair  !  I  have  finished.  You  see  that  our 
policy  is  a  policy  of  peace.  However,  remember  that  peace 
can  only  be  protected  with  arms  in  the  hand,  therefore  we 
wish  to  enlarge  our  army.  In  case  we  have  to  incur  expenses 
for  our  army,  we  shall  ask  them  from  you  without  embarrass- 
ment. You  may  call  that  bravado  on  our  part,  but  we  shall 
still  do  our  duty ;  for  peace  to-day  means  an  armed  peace. 
Led  by  a  policy  of  peace,  we  shall  try  to  keep  up  good  relations 
with  all  the  nations,  and  we  shall  do  everything  possible  to 
render  assistance  to  our  brethren  in  Macedonia.  We  shall 
not  court  war,  for  that  might  cost  us  our  liberty.  You  think 
we  are  ready  to  draw  our  swords,  you  believe  we  want  to 
deliver  Macedonia  through  a  war  ?  I  tell  you  that  we  only 
want  to  continue  our  former  policy  and  walk  on  with  courage." 

The  Prime  Minister,  with  a  final  wave  of  his  maimed 
hand,  resumed  his  seat  amid  a  loud  outburst  of  applause 
from  both  deputies  and  the  general  public  in  the  long  galleries 
of    the    great    white-and-gold    Chamber.      Only    we,    in    the 


WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR  ?  201 

diplomats'    gallery,    were    silent — with    the    Opposition,    of 
course. 

The  sitting  was  a  historic  one  in  the  annals  of  Bulgaria, 
and  ere  the  applause  had  died  away,  the  President,  on  the 
red-carpeted  platform,  rang  his  gong  violently,  and  called 
upon  the  newly  appointed  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  to 
make  his  declaration  upon  Bulgaria's  future  policy. 

Dr.  Stancioff,  who  until  recently  was  Bulgarian  diplomatic 
agent  in  St.  Petersburg,  rose  from  his  seat  at  the  Ministers' 
table — a  dark,  good-looking,  middle-aged  man — a  trifle  nervous 
perhaps  at  addressing  the  Chamber  for  the  first  time  in  his  new 
position. 

A  dead  silence  followed.  Bulgaria  awaited  the  statement 
with  breathless  eagerness.  They  had  heard  the  Premier's 
declaration  regarding  Macedonia.  What  would  the  Foreign 
Minister  say  ? 

The  blue-uniformed  attendants  took  up  their  positions 
against  the  dead  white  panelling  of  the  Chamber,  lending  the 
necessary  colour  to  complete  the  picturesqueness  of  the  scene, 
while  the  great  arc  lamps  hissed  above  as  they  shed  their 
bright  white  light  over  the  rows  of  deputies  upon  the  horse- 
shoe benches.  On  the  wall,  straight  before  the  Ministers' 
table,  the  burnished  gold  of  the  holy  ikon  shone  to  remind 
them  of  their  duty  to  the  Almighty  and  to  the  nation.  For 
a  few  moments  all  was  silent. 

Then  Dr.  Stancioff,  the  new  man  of  Bulgaria,  cleared  his 
throat,  and  in  Bulgar  made  the  following  clear,  deliberate, 
and  concise  statement,  of  which  the  following  is  a  translation. 
It  is,  as  will  be  seen,  a  direct  pronunciation  of  foreign  policy 
— a  firm  policy,  which  may  very  probably  mean  war  with  Turkey 
at  a  no  distant  date.  Indeed,  war  is  in  the  air  in  Bulgaria, 
and  over  the  Macedonian  question  may  come  at  any  moment ; 
therefore  the  Minister's  actual  words  may,  with  advantage 
to  the  future,  be  repeated  here. 

He  said — 

"  Gentlemen,  the  Minister  President  has  just  given  an 
ample  exposition  of  the  policy  the  Government  has  followed 
up  to  the  present  moment,  and  the  course  which  it  has  marked 


202  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

out  for  itself  for  the  future  :  on  this  point,  therefore,  there  is 
but  Httle  left  for  me  to  say,  as  a  member  of  this  Government, 
and  as  one  who  is  willing  to  bear  the  responsibility  of  his 
acts  before  this  honourable  Assembly. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  if  I  speak,  it  is  chiefly  that 
my  silence  may  not  give  rise  to  misinterpretation,  and  in 
order  to  underline  the  words  my  colleague  has  said. 

"  Without  doubt,  you  remember,  gentlemen,  that  I  have 
held  the  post  of  Foreign  Minister  only  a  few  days,  and  I  am 
under  no  obligation  to  enter  into  any  explanation  of  the 
policy  followed  before  my  nomination,  and  on  the  debates, 
interpellations,  and  the  opinions  that  it  has  called  forth. 
Therefore  I  shall  limit  myself  to  saying  a  few  words  on  the 
policy  that  we  are  going  to  follow  for  the  future. 

"  There  are  two  questions  I  wish  to  discuss.  Firstly,  our 
relations  with  the  Great  Powers ;  and  secondly,  what  is  to  be 
our  policy  in  regard  to  what  I  must  call  the  question  of  ques- 
tions— Macedonia . 

"  First  of  all,  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  our  relations 
with  the  Great  Powers  are  of  the  best. 

"  This  fact  is  always  being  confirmed  by  the  notifications 
which  we  receive  from  abroad. 

"  By  the  line  of  peaceful  development  which  she  has 
traced  for  herself,  and  which  she  has  never  ceased  to  pursue, 
by  the  honourable  manner  in  which  she  fulfils  all  her  inter- 
national engagements,  and  by  the  clear  comprehension  which 
she  has  of  her  position  in  the  Balkans,  Bulgaria  is  gaining 
more  and  more  the  sympathy  and  esteem  of  the  Great  Powers. 

"  It  would  be  superfluous  to  mention  in  detail  our  relations 
with  each  separate  State.  Nevertheless,  I  wish  to  point  out 
the  happy  fact  that  as  to  what  concerns  our  relation  with 
Russia — the  Liberating  Power— they  are  what  they  ought 
to  be  when  one  considers  the  ties  which  bind  us  to  her,  when 
one  considers  the  ties  which  unite  the  two  Slav  people,  and 
when  one  considers  all  that  Bulgaria  owes  to  Russia,  Our 
relations  with  Russia  are  of  the  best,  and  it  will  always  be 
the  Government's  endeavour  to  render  them  even  more 
cordial. 


WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR  ?  203 

"  Economic  as  well  as  political  considerations  bind  us 
to  Austria-Hungary.  These  interests  compel  us  to  maintain 
relations  as  cordial  as  possible  with  this  Great  Power. 

"  Our  friendship  with  Germany,  England,  France,  and 
Italy  is  dear  to  us.  We  greatly  appreciate  the  sympathy  of 
which  these  countries  have  given  us  so  many  proofs,  and  it 
will  be  our  care,  guided  by  the  interests  of  our  country,  to 
consolidate  and  ameliorate  these  relations. 

"  As  regards  our  relations  with  the  neighbouring  States, 
I  assert  that  those  with  Roumania  are,  as  they  ought  to  be, 
the  best  and  the  most  cordial.  We  appreciate  at  its  true  value 
our  sincere  friendship  with  Roumania,  and  it  will  be  our  task 
to  preserve  it. 

"  Our  relations  with  Servia  are  good.  We  desire  to 
cultivate  a  neighbourly  policy  with  this  State.  It  is  a  policy 
suited  to  two  sister  nations,  and  we  shall  cultivate  it  in  accord- 
ance with  the  point  of  view  that  Bulgaria  has  cultivated 
for  so  long.  I  may  add  that,  to  gain  this  end,  we  shall  do  all 
that  is  in  our  power. 

"As  to  our  relations  with  Montenegro,  it  suffices  to  say 
that  ancient  sympathies,  the  reciprocity  of  which  has  never 
been  denied,  bind  us  to  this  State.  Our  sympathies  per- 
petuate the  nature  of  these  relations  with  our  valiant  sister 
nation,  and  assure  us  that  they  can  only  be  good  and  cordial. 

"  From  a  diplomatic  point  of  view,  our  relations  with 
Greece  are  good  and  normal ;  the  regrettable  incidents  which 
took  place  last  summer  in  certain  portions  of  our  country 
belong  to  the  Department  of  the  Interior.  They  are,  so  to 
speak,  a  family  matter ;  they  cannot,  and  must  not,  be  allowed 
to  darken  relations  between  the  two  countries,  who  in  their 
common  interests  will  guard  against  a  modification  so  un- 
desirable. 

"  There  only  remains  for  me  to  speak  of  our  relations 
with  Turkey. 

"  I  will  be  brief,  though  I  could  speak  at  great  length  upon 
this  subject. 

"  Our  relations  can  only  be  good,  or  sincerely  good.  At 
the  present  moment  they  are  only  '  good.'     Before  they  can 


204  ^N  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

become  '  sincerely  '  good  it  is  necessary  that  the  two  countries 
should  be  convinced  not  only  of  the  utility  of  friendly  relations, 
but  also  that  their  interests,  political  and  economic,  demand 
other  relations  than  those  that  exist  at  the  moment.  As 
regards  ourselves,  who  take  this  matter  at  its  true  valuation, 
it  will  be  our  task  to  do  our  utmost  to  prove  to  Turkey  that 
we  justly  estimate  these  interests,  and  are  prepared  to  pursue 
a  sincere  policy,  provided  that,  on  her  side,  she  gives  us 
pledges  of  her  reciprocity. 

"  You  will  be  able  to  estimate  what  that  policy  is  by  the 
attitude  that  we  have  taken  up  regarding  the  Macedonian 
question.  This  is  a  European  question,  but  that  does  not 
hinder  it  from  being,  at  the  same  time,  both  a  Bulgarian  and  a 
Turkish  question.  First  of  all,  I  declare  that  the  Bulgarian 
Government  is  far  from  having  conceived  the  idea  of  provok- 
ing or  imposing  a  solution  of  the  Macedonian  question  by 
violent  means.  But  our  Government  recognises  the  sig- 
nificance of  this  vital  question  for  our  country,  it  justly 
estimates  the  violence  with  which  this  question  reflects  itself 
upon  the  inner  life  of  the  Principality,  and  this  renders  it 
necessary  to  closely  observe  its  development  and  its  solution. 

"  The  Macedonian  question  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Great 
Powers,  who  have  taken  upon  themselves  the  task  of  intro- 
ducing into  Macedonia  reforms  assuring  to  the  population 
of  this  country  a  development  at  once  more  orderly  and  more 
free.  It  is  true  that  in  this  respect  up  to  the  present  an 
altogether  satisfactory  result  has  not  yet  been  achieved,  and 
that  the  Bulgarian  population  of  Macedonia  and  the  vilayet 
of  Adrianople  still  have  to  face  complications.  But  the 
Government  hopes  that  the  good  work  they  have  begun  will 
make  progress.  The  Government  will  take  every  measure 
to  keep  itself  currently  informed  of  the  situation  in  Macedonia, 
and  will  do  everything  in  its  power  to  at  all  times  assist  the 
interested  Governments,  and  insist  with  all  its  energy  upon 
the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  people  of  this  country. 
The  Government  think  that  the  representation  they  are  going 
to  make  to  the  Great  Powers  in  regard  to  a  prompter  and 
more    energetic   carrying   out    of    the    essential    reforms   in 


Military   Manoeuvres  in    Bulgaria. 


WILL  BULGARIA  DECLARE  WAR  ?  205 

Macedonia  is  not  incompatible  with  having  good  and  cordial 
relations  with  Turkey.  On  the  contrary,  they  consider  that 
action  of  this  nature  suggests  a  more  normal  conception  of 
the  reciprocal  interests  of  the  two  countries,  and  that  it  will 
induce  the  Government  of  His  Majesty  the  Sultan  to  adopt 
a  totally  different  attitude  in  regard  to  the  Bulgarian  popula- 
tion of  Macedonia — an  attitude  which  will  conduce  to  its 
peace,  and  which  will  be,  at  the  same  time,  an  important 
factor  in  the  destinies  of  the  Empire  itself. 

"  We  make  no  mental  reservations  with  regard  to  Turkey. 
We  do  not  dream  of  conquest  or  annexation.  But  the 
Bulgarian  nation  cannot  look  coolly  on  while  our  blood- 
brothers  (those  of  our  own  blood)  are  being  subjected  to 
such  ordeals  as  those  they  are  suffering  in  Turkey.  In  the 
name  of  reciprocity,  in  the  name  of  justice  and  of  humanity, 
the  Bulgarian  nation  demands  that  the  right  of  existence,  and 
that  the  right  of  free  development  in  their  nationality,  and  its 
religion,  be  granted  to  the  Bulgarians  of  Macedonia.  She 
demands  that  their  right  of  enjoying  the  fruits  of  their  labour 
be   recognised. 

"  The  Government  has  the  strongest  convictions  on  the 
subject  of  the  national  duty,  and  will  not  waver  in  carrying 
them  out.  It  is  the  fulfilling  of  this  duty  which  must  con- 
stitute the  foundation  of  friendly  relations  with  Turkey, 
and  in  this  matter  the  Government  will  stand  firm. 

"  The  arming  of  our  military  forces  must,  of  necessity, 
be  a  contradiction.  We  live  in  the  era  of  armed  peace,  and 
we  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  peace  of  Europe 
is  due,  if  not  entirely,  at  any  rate  in  great  part,  to  the  for- 
midable armament  that  each  country  keeps  up.  Bulgaria, 
though  small,  cannot  evade  this  essential,  if  she  wishes  to 
live  in  peace." 

Dr.  Standoff  resumed  his  seat  amid  thunders  of  applause. 

Parliament  shortly  afterwards  adjourned,  and  we  went 
home  to  snatch  a  hasty  dinner  and  put  on  our  war-paint  for 
the  smart  ball  at  the  Military  Club. 

Will  Bulgaria  declare  war  against  Turkey  ?  That  was  that 
night,  and  still  is,  the  question  on  everyone's  lips  in  Sofia. 


CHAPTER    IV 
THE  BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE 

A  ilitTicult  and  little-understood  problem — Bulgaria  the  "  dark  horse  "  of 
the  Peninsula — An  explanation  of  the  question  between  Bulgaria  and 
Turkey — The  Bulgarian  Church  and  the  Imperial  Firman — The  present 
position  of  the  Exarchate  —  Europe  should  listen  to  the  Bulgarian 
demand — Chats  with  Macedonian  orphans — Their  terrible  stories. 

THE  question  of  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate  and  the  Porte 
is  of  paramount  importance  in  Bulgaria  at  the  present 
moment — a  very  difhcult  problem  which  the  Government 
have  to  face. 

So  httle  is  it  understood  in  England,  even  by  those  professing 
to  be  au  courant  with  the  Balkan  question,  that  I  may  perhaps 
be  pardoned  if  I  endeavour  to  render  the  situation  intelligible. 
"  What  does  Bulgaria  want  ?  "  is  the  question  so  very  often 
asked.  What  she  really  wants,  and  what  are  her  aims,  will,  I 
hope,  be  shown  in  the  following  pages. 

Bulgaria,  it  must  always  be  remembered,  is  with  Servia, 
the  coming  mistress  of  the  Balkans.  She  is  the  "  dark  horse  " 
of  the  Peninsula.  Her  power  is  admitted,  but  the  extent  of 
her  force  cannot  be  gauged.  One  thing  is  certain,  that  the 
present  Government  being  an  essentially  strong  one,  and 
Dr.  Stancioff,  the  Foreign  Minister,  a  man  of  action,  Bulgaria 
will  no  longer  sit  still  and  allow  her  people  in  Macedonia  to 
be  decimated  as  they  now  are  daily. 

In  view  of  this,  therefore,  it  will  perhaps  be  of  interest  to 
explain  impartially  at  some  little  length  the  question  which 
it  is  feared  must,  ere  long,  bring  Turkey  and  Bulgaria  face 
to  face. 


BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE    207 

Ever  since  the  liberation  of  Bulgaria  up  to  the  present 
moment  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate  has  led  a  perturbed 
existence. 

As  long  ago  as  the  Russo-Turkish  War  it  had  to  undergo 
serious  trials,  the  Exarch  being  obliged  to  recall  the  Bulgarian 
bishops  from  the  Macedonian  diocese.  When,  after  the 
Treaty  of  Berlin,  he  attempted  to  restore  them  to  their  former 
sees  and  to  complete  the  organisation  of  the  Bulgarian  Church 
— in  accordance  with  the  Imperial  Firman  of  May  16,  1870 — by 
establishing  a  Synod  and  a  Mixed  Council,  the  Exarch  re- 
ceived in  1883  from  the  Turkish  Minister  of  Justice  the  following 
significant  answer : — 

"  When  we  determine  to  grant  you  a  status  in  the  vilayets, 
then  only  we  shall  consider  the  matter  of  your  administration." 

So  that,  after  an  existence  of  only  three  years,  the  Bulgarian 
Exarchate  found  its  right  of  having  a  status  in  the  vilayets 
put  in  question.  This,  however,  did  not  discourage  the  Exarch. 
On  the  contrary,  he  redoubled  his  efforts.  Relying  upon  the 
Imperial  Firman,  and  assisted  by  the  Bulgarian  Government, 
he  succeeded  in  winning  for  the  Exarchate  an  official  status 
in  Macedonia,  insisting  at  the  same  time  on  the  formation  of 
a  Synod  and  a  Mixed  Council,  attached  to  the  Exarchate.  ^ — 

At  the  present  day  the  authority  of  the  Exarchate  in 
Macedonia  extends  over  seven  dioceses,  namely,  Uskub, 
Ochrida,  Debr,  Monastir,  Veless,  Nevrokop,  and  Stroumitza. 
In  addition  to  these,  there  are  still  ten  bishoprics  which, 
contrary  to  the  Firman,  remain  vacant,  because  the  Sultan 
refuses  to  grant  the  indispensable  berats.  During  the  period 
referred  to,  the  Exarchate  was  also  deprived  of  its  right  of 
representation  at  Sketcha  and  Malgara  {vilayet  of  Adrianople), 
whose  religious  communities  were  suspended  in  1897  by  the 
Grand  Vizier  Rifaat  Pasha.  The  Bulgarian  chapel  at  Sketcha 
remains  to  this  day  under  seals  placed  by  the  Imperial 
authorities,  and  consequently  inaccessible  to  the  spiritual 
needs  of  the  Bulgarian  population  in  that  place. 

The  question  of  the  Mixed  Council  and  the  Synod  still 
remains  open.  The  solution  of  this  question  is  of  supreme 
moment  to  the  Exarchate  and  to  the  Bulgarian  Government. 


2o8  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

This  is  duo  to  the  position  and  importance  of  the  religious 
communities  in  the  Turkish  Empire. 

For  the  better  understanding  of  the  bearing  of  the 
issues  involved,  it  will  be  perhaps  necessary  to  refer  to 
the  history  of  the  Turkish  Empire  and  its  attitude  towards 
Bulgaria. 

As  is  well  known,  instead  of  trying  to  assimilate  the 
Christian  nations  which  they  had  conquered,  the  Turks  always 
considered  themselves  masters  of  those  whom  they  had 
vanquished.  Their  system  of  government  in  this  respect  is, 
of  course,  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  spirit  of  their  religion. 
The  Koran  subdivides  all  countries  into  two  distinct  groups  : 
first  those  belonging  to  Islam,  and  secondly  those  under  the 
domination  of  the  giaours  (infidels),  with  whom  Islam  was  in 
a  state  of  permanent  war.  The  true  behevers,  the  followers 
of  the  Prophet,  were  declared  rulers  of  the  infidels.  These 
purely  theocratic  principles  of  State  organisation  form,  until 
this  day,  the  basis  of  the  Ottoman  Empire. 

As  exponents  of  these  principles,  the  Osmanlis  did  not 
attempt,  after  the  conquest  of  Byzantium,  to  impose  on  their 
new  subjects  the  Turkish  State  institutions  or  civil  laws. 
Although  despised  and  humihated,  the  rayas  continued 
to  enjoy  privileges  which,  in  many  respects,  remind  one  of 
those  subsequently  granted  by  the  capitulations  to  the  foreign 
Christians.  The  place  of  the  rulers  of  the  conquered  nations 
was  now  occupied  by  the  representatives  of  their  Church. 
As  an  instance,  Mohammed  ii.,  conqueror  of  Constantinople, 
conferred  upon  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  the  title  of 
Miletbashi  (Chief  of  the  Nation),  and  entrusted  to  him  the 
administration  of  the  secular  and  spiritual  interests  of  his 
flock.  These  same  prerogatives  were  also  granted  to  the 
Bulgarian  Patriarchs  of  Tirnovo  and  Ochrida,  as  representatives 
of  the  Bulgarian  nation.  The  spiritual  leaders  of  the  con- 
quered races  delegated,  in  their  turn,  part  of  their  attributes 
to  their  inferiors — bishops  and  priests. 

In  this  way,  the  clergy  formed  a  body  of  functionaries 
invested  with  large  administrative  and  judicial  powers.  Every 
religious  community  was  entrusted   with   the   repartition  of 


Peasants  at  Yladaja  ;     Bulgaria. 


Bulgarian   Military  Types. 


BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE    209 

the  State  taxes  among  the  members  of  the  community,  and 
was  responsible  for  their  payment  into  the  State  Exchequer. 
In  a  word,  the  spiritual  head  of  a  Christian  race  was  at  the 
same  time  its  civil  representative  before  the  Turkish  authorities. 
As  regards  the  Bulgarian  nation,  this  mission  was  confided, 
down  to  the  year  1770,  to  its  Patriarchs — at  first,  to  the 
Patriarchs  of  Tirnovo  and  Ochrida,  and,  later  on,  to  that 
of  the  latter  place — until  the  abolition  of  the  Patriarchate  of 
Ochrida,  which  was  brought  about  by  the  intrigues  of  the 
Greeks. 

The  fact  remains  that  during  several  centuries  the  Christians 
in  the  Turkish  Empire — and  among  them  the  Bulgarians — 
have,  owing  to  this  peculiarity  of  the  Turkish  State  policy, 
enjoyed  a  relative  independence,  and  in  this  way  have  been 
able  to  preserve  their  nationality,  language,  and  customs. 
These  exceptional  historical  circumstances  explain  at  the 
same  time  why,  among  these  Christians,  the  sentiment  of 
patriotism  has  been  transformed  into  an  attachment  to 
their  religious  communities  and  their  national  Church. 

This  sentiment  of  patriotism  and  spiritual  consciousness, 
which,  owing  to  the  oppression  exercised  by  the  Greek  clergy, 
after  the  year  1770  had  weakened  to  the  extent  of  national 
self-forgetfulness  and  identification  with  the  Greeks,  awakened 
once  more  among  the  Bulgarians  during  the  second  half  of 
last  century.  It  acquired  great  force  in  the  course  of  the 
struggle  for  the  restoration  of  the  ancient  national  Church. 
This  new  struggle  began  at  the  time  of  the  Tanzimat,  a  period 
when  the  Porte  had  to  fight  against  the  growing  omnipotence 
of  the  Patriarchate,  which  was  threatening  the  very  founda- 
tions of  the  State./  It  had,  as  its  legal  support,  the  Hatti- 
Houmayoun  of  1856,  which  reverted  to  the  historical  rights  of 
all  religious  communities.  The  second  part  of  Section  II. 
of  this  Act  runs  as  follows  : — 

"Chaque  communaute  Chretienne  ou  d'autre  rite  non-musul- 
man  sera  tenue,  dans  un  delai  fixe  et  avec  le  concours  d'une 
commission  formee  ad  hoc  dans  son  sein,  de  proceder,  avec 
ma  haute  approbation  et  sous  la  surveillance  de  ma  Sublime 
Porte,  a  I'examen  de  ses  immunites  et  privileges  et  d'y  discuter 
14 


jio  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

et  souinottio  c\   ma   Siibliinc  Porte  les  r^formes  exig^es  par 
le  progr^  des  liimi(^res  ct  du  temps." 

Progress,  as  well  as  the  State  interests  of  the  Empire  at 
that  time,  required  the  administrative  separation  of  the 
Bulgarian  Church  from  the  Patriarchate,  and  its  endowment 
with  a  special  chief  and  clergy.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that,  in  this  struggle  of  the  Sublime  Porte  with  the  Patriarchate 
for  the  denationalisation  of  the  Christian  communities — which 
had  for  its  consequence  the  weakening  of  the  Patriarchate 
and  the  restriction  of  its  privileges — the  Bulgarian  nation 
acted  as  allies  of  the  Empire,  with  "  the  high  approval  of 
the  Sultan  "  and  "  under  the  control  of  the  Sublime  Porte." 
Thanks  mainly  to  this  alliance  and  to  this  struggle  against 
the  Patriarchate  in  favour  of  the  Bulgarian  nation,  the 
Patriarchate  was  considerably  weakened  through  the  Organic 
Statute  of  1862,  while  the  Bulgarian  Church  was  restored  in 
virtue  of  the  Firman  of  1870. 

With  the  Bulgarian  Church  restored,  it  was  necessary,  in 
accordance  with  the  Imperial  Firman,  that  it  should  be 
organised  after  the  pattern  of  the  Eastern  Orthodox  Church, 
of  which  it  formed  a  branch,  without  in  any  case  departing 
from  its  canons.  The  Exarchate,  as  its  highest  administrative 
body,  was  organised  on  such  close  lines  with  the  Patriarchate, 
that  its  Organic  Statute  is,  in  greater  part,  nothing  but  a 
reproduction  of  that  of  the  Patriarchate  in  1862,  which,  in 
its  turn,  is  based  on  the  principles  laid  down  by  the  Hatti- 
Houmayoun. 

In  view  of  all  this,  it  must  be  admitted  that  to-day  the 
struggle — or  rather  the  insistence  of  the  Exarchate  for  the 
speedier  organisation  of  a  Synod  and  a  Mixed  Council,  forming 
part  of  itself — is  only  a  just  and  legal  claim  of  the  rights  and 
privileges  sanctioned  by  the  Firman  of  1870.  It  should  be 
clearly  understood  that  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate  does  not 
ask  for  any  new  privileges  ;  all  that  it  demands  is  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Synod  and  the  Mixed  Council  as  they  existed  before 
the  Russo-Turkish  War.  Surely  this  is  but  a  very  natural 
demand  !  /'The  question  concerns  two  administrative  bodies, 
with  attributes  strictly  defined  by  the  canons  of  the  Church, 


H 


BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE     211 

as  well  as  by  the  statute  of  the  Exarchate  and  the  Imperial 
Firman,  and  which  cannot  be  delegated  to  anyone  else,  but 
must  be  exercised  by  the  Synod  and  the  Mixed  Council.  To 
the  Synod  are  reserved  all  questions  of  the  forum  ecclesiasticum, 
while  the  mission  of  the  Mixed  Council  is  to  look  after  the 
schools,  the  civil  administration,  and  the  organisation  of  the 
Bulgarian  nationality.  The  Mixed  Council  forms  at  the  same 
time  the  highest  judicial  body  in  civil  cases  between  Bulgarians — 
the  mixed  courts  being  reserved  for  civil  cases  between  Moham- 
medans and  Christians,  as  well  as  for  commercial  and  criminal 
cases  without  any  distinction  of  religion.  This  brief  mention 
of  the  attributes  of  the  S5mod  and  of  the  Mixed  Council  is 
surely  sufficient  to  show  the  very  urgent  need  of  their  speedy 
restoration  and  organisation. 

The  needs  of  the  Church  and  of  the  community  have 
greatly  increased  ;  they  are  no  longer  what  they  used  to  be 
thirty  years  ago,  and  cannot  be  left  disregarded.  The  re- 
quirements of  the  population  and  of  the  times  give  rise  to 
fresh  questions,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  Imperial  Otto- 
man Government  comes  every  day  with  fresh  demands  to 
the  Exarchate,  which  shares  in  the  administration  of  the 
country,  as  an  auxiliary  organ. 

^  In  these  present-day  times  of  trial  the  Bulgarian  popula- 
tion in  Macedonia,  broken  up,  persecuted,  and  outlawed  as 
it  is,  turns  for  help  and  protection  to  its  legal  head  and  pro- 
tector, the  Exarch.  The  Exarch  is,  however,  helpless,  because 
personally  he  has  no  authority  to  decide  such  questions  as 
fall  within  the  competence  of  the  Mixed  Council.  His  only 
role  in  such  matters  is  to  act  as  an  intermediary  between  the 
Council  and  the  Sublime  Porte. 

The  present  position  of  the  Exarchate  is  an  abnormal 
one.  According  to  the  Firman,  which  has  the  force  of  law 
within  the  Empire,  it  has  well-defined  rights  and  obligations 
as  regards  the  Porte  and  the  Bulgarian  nation  in  the  vilayets, 
which,  however,  it  cannot  exercise  or  fulfil  because  of  its 
imperfect  and  irregular  organisation.  This  state  of  things 
provokes  among  the  populations  of  the  Empire  complaints 
both   against   the   Exarchate  and   the   Imperial   authorities. 


212  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Failing  to  find  help  and  protection  at  the  hands  of  the  legal 
authorities,  the  outraged  population  is  naturally  tempted 
to  look  for  such  in  illegal  quarters,  and  in  its  despair  places 
its  hopes  in  foreign  intervention.  This  state  of  affairs  explains 
and  fully  justifies  such  tendencies  among  the  Macedonian 
jxipulation.  The  true  interests  of  the  Ottoman  Empire 
demand  the  preservation  of  its  Christian  inhabitants  from 
similar  hopes  and  tendencies.  The  population  ought  to 
expect  all  improvements  from  Constantinople.  In  this 
respect  the  formation  of  a  Synod  and  of  a  Mixed  Council 
attached  to  the  Exarchate  is  not  only  a  just  demand,  admitted 
on  every  hand  outside  Turkey,  but  is  highly  desirable  and 
indispensable  for  the  pacification  of  public  opinion  both  in 
the  vilayets  and  in  Bulgaria.  By  their  very  constitution, 
this  Synod  and  the  Mixed  Council  would  act  as  legal  inter- 
preters of  the  needs  of  the  Bulgarian  population  in  Macedonia 
and  the  vilayet  of  Adrianople,  and  would  form  a  strong  link 
between  the  Bulgarians  and  the  Sublime  Porte. 

It  would  surely  be  preferable  both  for  the  Powers  and  for 
Turkey  if  they  had  to  deal  with  a  legally  organised  and 
responsible  body,  such  as  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate.  Indeed, 
this  latter,  if  completed  and  fortified  by  the  creation  of  the 
Synod  and  the  Mixed  Council,  would  no  doubt  succeed  in 
attracting  the  attention  of  the  Bulgarian  population  of  the 
vilayets  once  more  to  Constantinople.  The  cause  of  the 
Macedonian  reforms  would  benefit  considerably  from  such 
an  organisation,  while  the  difficult  task  of  the  Powers  would 
be  greatly  facilitated. 

The  just  and  legal  measure  I  have  outlined  above  would 
pacify  public  opinion  in  the  Principality  of  Bulgaria.  That 
something  must  be  done  is  very  plain.  Matters  in  Macedonia 
cannot  be  allowed  to  remain  as  they  are — a  blot  upon  the 
civilisation  of  Europe.  Bulgaria  is,  as  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  judge  from  personal  inquiry,  determined  to  take  a 
strong  and  definite  line.  She  cannot  remain  indifferent  to 
the  injustice  of  the  Porte  towards  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate  ; 
neither  can  she  overlook  the  burning  question.  /  Even  if  she 
were  inclined  to  adopt  such  a  course,  she  would  not  be  in  a 


BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE    213 

position  to  do  so.  No  Bulgarian  Government  could  follow 
such  a  policy  without  being  accused  of  violating  the  Con- 
stitution, according  to  which  the  Eastern  Orthodox  religion 
is  the  State  religion  of  the  country. 

In  ecclesiastical  matters  the  Principality  is,  according  to 
Article  39  of  the  Bulgarian  Constitution,  placed  under  the 
control  of  the  highest  spiritual  authority  of  the  Bulgarian 
Church,  wherever  that  authority  may  be  found.  This 
authority  is  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered, too,  that  this  Constitution  was  ratified  at  the  time, 
by  the  Powers  signatory  of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin.  The  right  of 
the  Principality  to  take  an  interest  in  the  normal  and  regular 
working  of  the  authority  in  question  now  became  even  more 
indisputable.  Besides,  political  considerations  of  the  very 
highest  importance  to  the  peace  of  Europe  place  upon  the 
Bulgarian  Government  the  duty  of  reminding  the  Great 
Powers,  Turkey  included,  of  the  liabilities  which  they 
assumed  towards  the  Christian  population  of  the  vilayets 
by  virtue  of  Articles  25  and  62  of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin. 
-  -Only  natural  is  it,  and  in  the  cause  of  humanity,  that 
Bulgaria  should  seek  to  protect  the  Bulgarians  in  Macedonia. 
Never  has  the  country  been  in  a  worse  state  than  at  the  present 
time,  and  never  has  European  interference  been  more  needed 
than  at  this  moment. 

Europe  should  listen  attentively  to  this  Bulgarian  com- 
plaint against  Turkey,  for  it  is  surely  a  just  one,  crying  loudly 
for  remedy.  The  blood  of  the  poor  massacred  thousands  in 
Macedonia  calls  to-day  to  the  Powers  for  mercy  and  justice, 
and  yet  to-morrow,  and  still  to-morrow,  a  hundred  more 
defenceless  men  and  women  and  innocent  children  are  put 
to  the  sword,  mutilated  and  murdered,  and  we  in  England  hear 
nothing  about  it.  Macedonia  is,  alas !  a  country  where  God 
is  high  and  Justice  far  away.     > 

This  question  of  the  Bulgarian  Exarchate  and  the  Porte 
is,  I  know,  an  abstruse  one,  neglected  by  most  writers  on  the 
subject.  However,  it  is  one  of  the  highest  importance — 
one  which  is  inseparable  from  the  future  policy  of  Bulgaria. 

Things  cannot  remain  long  in  Macedonia  as  I  myself  saw 


214  -^^  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

thoin.  Europe  holds  up  hor  hands  in  virtuous  horror  at  the 
so-callod  Congo  scandals  and  socks  out  every  detail  of  mal- 
administration, yet  she  turns  a  deaf  ear  to  the  piteous  cry  of 
tlie  Macedonians,  whose  homes  are  daily  burned  and  pillaged, 
and  whose  villages  are  often  completely  wiped  out — both 
dwellings  and  inhabitants — in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  by 
fiends  tilled  with  the  lust  of  blood. 

If  you  doubt  that  there  are  horrible  atrocities  daily  com- 
mitted in  Macedonia  by  Greeks  and  Turks  alike,  you  need  go 
no  farther  than  Sofia.  Visit  the  Orphanage  for  Macedonian 
boys  established  three  years  ago  by  Mr.  Pierce  O'Mahony, 
an  Irish  philanthropist,  of  Grange  Con,  County  Wicklow. 
This  gentleman  was  living  in  Sofia,  and  hearing  terrible  stories 
of  massacres  across  the  frontier,  established  an  institution  for 
the  education  of  orphans  whose  parents  had  been  killed  in 
the  raids.  When  I  visited  the  place,  I  found  it  neat,  orderly, 
and  doing  a  most  charitable  and  excellent  work  under  the 
care  of  two  English  nursing  sisters.  In  a  large  commodious 
house  on  the  outskirts  of  the  capital  were  thirty  lads  ranging 
in  age  from  seven  to  fifteen,  all  dressed  in  their  white  woollen 
and  black-braided  national  costume  of  Macedonia. 

When  the  boys  were  assembled  in  the  large  classroom, 
I  heard  some  of  their  stories,  and  truly  they  were  appalling, 
many  of  the  details  too  terrible  to  be  placed  here  on  record. 
As  an  instance,  one  lad  I  saw,  a  bright,  intelligent  little  fellow, 
was  admitted  to  the  Orphanage  a  few  months  ago.  He  lived 
in  the  district  of  Ochrida,  and  was  one  day  tending  his  sheep 
as  usual,  when  some  Turkish  soldiers  came  past. 

"  Have  you  seen  a  Bulgarian  band  pass  along  just  now  ?  " 
they  inquired. 

The  lad  declared  that  he  had  seen  nobody.  The  soldiers 
doubted  him,  for  the  Bulgarian  band  in  question  was  pro- 
tecting the  villages  in  that  neighbourhood. 

They  asked  again,  and  the  boy  denied  having  seen  any- 
body, which  was  the  truth.  Whereupon  one  of  the  Sultan's 
soldiers  smashed  the  little  fellow's  skull  in  with  the  butt  end 
of  his  rifle,  while  another  took  a  knife  and  cut  his  throat  from 
ear  to  ear.     They  then  dug  a  rough  hole  in  the  ground  and 


BULGARIAN  EXARCHATE  AND  THE  PORTE  215 

buried  him.  Some  hours  after,  a  shepherd  passing  noticed 
that  his  dog  was  scratching  the  earth,  and  on  going  to  the 
spot,  heard  moans.  The  lad  was  quickly  exhumed,  and  found 
to  be  still  living.  For  many  weeks  he  was  in  the  hospital  in 
Salonica,  but  was  eventually  admitted  to  Mr.  O'Mahony's 
Home.  When  I  saw  him,  the  wound  in  the  head  had  only 
just  healed,  and  the  ugly  scar  across  the  throat  was  still  red. 
I  have  his  photograph,  but  it  is  too  ghastly  to  here  reproduce. 
Another  little  lad  described  to  me  how  his  father  and 
mother  had  been  tortured  by  the  Turks  and  afterwards  burnt 
alive  before  his  eyes,  while  another  related  how  he  had  been 
captured  by  the  Turks,  taken  into  slavery,  and  afterwards 
escaped. 

Each  orphan  boy  had  his  own  terrible  story  to  tell,  stories 
that  were  full  of  horror  and  inhuman  butchery,  stories  that 
made  one  wonder  whether  such  things  could  really  happen 
in  this  enlightened  century. 

As  to  the  institute  and  its  general  conduct,  there  is  no 
doubt  it  is  performing  a  most  humane  and  charitable  work. 
There  are  thousands  of  the  homeless  and  fatherless  in  Macedonia, 
increasing  thousands,  and  the  institute,  which  is  purely  a 
piece  of  private  philanthropy,  cannot  possibly  admit  one- 
tenth  of  the  applicants  for  its  charity.  The  founder  hopes,  if 
private  subscribers  or  donors  come  forward,  to  extend  his 
work,  and  Lady  Buchanan  of  the  British  Legation,  Sofia, 
who  takes  a  great  interest  in  it,  told  me  that  she  would 
be  very  pleased  to  acknowledge  any  subscriptions  sent  to  her. 
Certainly  it  is  most  deserving  of  support,  for  already  it 
has  sent  Macedonian  lads  into  the  Bulgarian  Agricultural 
School  at  Kustendil ;  two  others  are  in  the  Cadet  School  in 
Sofia,  and  will  become  offtcers ;  others  have  been  taught 
trades  and  are  earning  their  living;  and  one  has  been  sent 
to  England.  Though  the  founder  is  a  member  of  the  Church 
of  England,  the  lads  are  allowed  to  retain  their  own  religion, 
the  Orthodox. 

Every  right-minded  man  must,  after  investigating  the 
complaint  of  Bulgaria  against  the  Porte  regarding  the  Ex- 
archate, take  the  part  of  Bulgaria.     Macedonia  is  to-day  and 


2i6  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

I'voiy  day  brini;  (ItH-iniatcd  l)y  Greek  bands  who  raid  under 
the  protection  and  with  (lie  connivance  of  the  Turks,  and 
assuredly  Hul^'aria  has  just  cause  for  reprisals.  At  present, 
however,  her  bands  are  inactive,  and  she  is  endeavouring  to 
adjust  the  difficulty  by  diplomatic  channels.  Bulgaria  has 
no  desire  for  war,  neither  has  Turkey. 

Rut  the  question  must  ere  long  be  faced  boldly  and  fear- 
lessly, and  a  solution  arrived  at.  Bulgaria  has  right  on  her 
side,  and  in  the  name  of  humanity  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Powers 
to  support  her. 


Where   I   spent  a  comfortless  night  in    Bulgaria. 


Bulgarian   Laundresses. 


CHAPTER    V 
AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY 

Tobacco  growing  in  Bulgaria — Tlie  otto-of-rose  industry — About  adultera- 
tion— Difficulties  of  obtaining  the  pure  extract — Corrupting  the  peasant 
— What  Monsieur  ShipkofE  told  me — Some  tests  to  discover  adulteration 
— Interesting  facts  about  roses. 

NO  description  of  the  present  condition  of  Bulgaria  would 
be  complete  without  mention  of  the  two  principal 
industrial  plants  cultivated  in  the  country — tobacco  and 
roses. 

Tobacco,  I  noticed,  was  particularly  plentiful  in  the 
south  and  in  the  departments  of  Silistra  and  Kustendil. 
The  department  of  Haskovo,  it  appears,  produces  800,000 
kilos  of  first  quality  tobacco,  followed  by  Philippopoli  with 
300,000  kilos,  Kustendil  with  270,000  kilos,  and  Silistra  with 
210,000.  Three-quarters  of  all  this  tobacco  is  consumed  in 
the  country,  for  Bulgarians  are  inveterate  cigarette-smokers, 
and  the  remaining  quarter  exported.  Tobacco  in  leaf  is 
sold  at  an  average  price  of  80  centimes  to  i  fr.  50  c,  per  kilo- 
gramme. The  Government  give  the  peasants,  in  order  to 
encourage  tobacco  cultivation,  quantities  of  seed  gratis. 

As  regards  the  cultivation  of  roses,  the  special  species 
grown  are  the  red  rose  (Rosa  damascena)  and  various  species 
of  white  rose,  of  which  the  Rosa  moscata  is  the  most  used, 
the  best  and  most  extensive  plantations  being  at  Kazanlik, 
Karlovo,  Klissoura,  and  Stara-Sagora. 

I  was  afforded  an  opportunity  of  visiting  one  of  the  otto- 
of-rose  distilleries,  and  the  sweet,  penetrating  perfume  of  it 
clings  still  to  the  nostrils.     Bulgarian  otto-of-rose  is  famous 

217 


-V 


2i8  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

the  world  over,  and  its  production  is  carried  on  in  175  com- 
inunos  in  the  departments  of  Philippopoli  and  Stara-Sagora. 

Tlio  cliief  manufacturers  and  exporters  of  otto-of-rose 
are  Messi-s.  Shipkoff  &  Co.  of  Kazanlik,  who  export  about 
two-tliirds  of  the  whole  rose  produce.  This  firm,  as  well 
as  the  others,  make  advances  to  the  peasantry  upon  their 
growing  crops  of  roses,  and  the  peasant  pays  these  advances 
in  otto-of-rose  already  distilled.  The  firms  make  it  a  part 
of  the  contract  that  the  extract  must  be  pure,  and  can  refuse 
to  accept  it  if  adulterated.  As  a  check,  all  the  exporters 
make  it  a  point  to  themselves  distil  in  the  various  rose-growing 
districts  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  proper  standard  of 
purity. 

I  had  an  opportunity  of  visiting  Mr.  Theodore  Shipkoff, 
Deputy  for  Kazanlik,  of  the  great  firm  of  Shipkoff  &  Co. 
He  showed  me  over  the  factory,  and  gave  me  a  number  of 
extremely  interesting  details  regarding  this  unique  industry. 

It  appears  that  nowadays  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to 
obtain  pure  otto-of-rose.  Some  forty  years  ago  the  entire 
rose  industry  was  an  ideal  one.  No  farmers,  small  or  big, 
adulterated  their  otto.  They  knew  nothing  about  adultera- 
tion. In  their  primitive  simplicity  and  honesty,  it  would 
have  been  altogether  against  their  nature  to  falsify  in  any 
way  their  produce.  The  jobbers  and  dealers  who  used  to 
come  from  Adrianople  and  Constantinople  to  buy  it,  and 
who  at  that  time  controlled  the  whole  exportation,  while 
buying  it  from  the  growers  in  its  pure  state,  soon  began  to 
adulterate  it  with  the  Turkish  geranium  oil  {Idris  Yaghi). 
They  found  this  way  of  adulterating  the  otto-of-rose  so  profit- 
able that,  in  order  to  use  a  larger  percentage  of  geranium 
oil  and  at  the  same  time  to  render  it  less  easily  detected,  they 
began  to  import  from  Constantinople  the  crude  geranium 
oil,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  growers  to  redistil  and  refine 
it  in  rose-flowers  and  rose-water,  thus  taking  away  its  pungent 
and  heavy  vegetable  odour.  Some  of  the  growers  soon  learned 
to  do  this  themselves,  and  the  peddling  traders  started  regular 
factories  for  the  express  purpose  of  refining  geranium  oil 
and  selling   it   afterwards   to   the  peasants  for  purposes  of 


AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY 


219 


adulteration.  In  this  way  many  villages  were  gradually 
corrupted,  and  the  otto-of-rose  they  produced  was  more 
or  less  adulterated  with  geranium  oil ;  but  most  of  the 
adulteration  has  always  been  done  by  the  exporting  jobbers 
and  dealers.  This,  of  course,  brought  much  discredit  to 
the  rose  industry,  and  the  Government,  some  fifteen  years 
ago,  was  compelled  to  prohibit  the  importation  of  geranium 
oil  into  the  country.  This  measure  was  a  most  wholesome 
one,  and  checked,  to  some  extent,  the  free  and  open  importa- 
tion of  geranium,  and  saved  many  of  the  rose  villages  from 
further  corruption.  However,  a  great  deal  of  geranium  oil 
is  still  imported  sub  rosd  into  Bulgaria  by  unscrupulous 
jobbers  and  exporters,  and  much  of  the  otto-of-rose  sold  is 
largely  adulterated  with  it. 

Mr.  Shipkoff,  in  course  of  his  conversation  with  me  when 
he  showed  me  over  his  distillery  at  Kazanlik,  said,  "  As  our 
principle  is  to  export  only  the  genuine  otto-of-rose,  and  sell 
only  what  we  can  guarantee  as  absolutely  pure,  our  task  has 
been,  and  is,  a  most  difficult  one.  With  the  primitive  system 
of  distillation  still  in  use  in  our  country,  it  is  actually  impossible 
for  us  to  distil  all  the  otto-of-rose  we  export,  and  we  still  have 
to  depend  on  our  growers  for  the  greater  part  of  our  stock. 
When  the  means  of  transportation  and  communication  im- 
prove, it  will  then  be  possible  to  centralise  the  whole  distilla- 
tion in  a  few  places,  and  establish  large  steam  distilleries, 
such  as  those  in  Grasse,  Cannes,  and  Leipzig.  At  present 
most  of  the  rose-flowers  are  distilled  in  the  villages  where  they 
are  grown,  and  by  the  growers  themselves,  this  method  being 
by  far  the  cheapest.  Still,  to  guard  ourselves  from  all  possible 
adulteration  on  the  part  of  our  suppliers,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  be  able  to  get  as  much  otto-of-rose  as  possible  of  our 
own  distillation,  we  ourselves  have  to  distil  in  aU  the  principal 
places  in  the  eight  rose  counties  of  the  rose  district,  and  each 
year  we  increase  our  own  distillations. 

"  It  is  by  virtue  of  this  extensive  distillation  that  we  are 
able  to  obtain  pure  otto.  Besides  this  practical  means,  we 
have  continually  experimented  to  discover  various  tests, 
whereby    we    can    readily    distinguish    the    pure    from    the 


220  AN  OnSFRVKR  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

adulterated  rose.  It  is  quite  impossible  simply  from  the 
sense  of  smell  (o  always  reeognise  an  adulteration  from  two 
to  live  per  irnt..  and  the  following  are  the  tests,  which  we 
possess  and  use  in  conducting  our  business:  the  freezing- 
jxMut  test,  the  specific  gravity  test,  the  density  test,  the 
spectrum  test,  the  iodine  test,  and  the  nitric  acid  test. 

"  Otto-of-rosc,  when  analysed,  is  found  to  consist  of  two 
ingredients  :  the  olcoptene,  which  is  the  liquid  and  odori- 
ferous part  of  the  otto-of-rose,  and  the  stereoptene,  which 
is  the  solid  and  odourless  part,  and  causes  the  crystallisation 
of  the  otto-of-rose.  The  proportion  in  which  these  two 
ingredients  are  combined  in  the  pure  otto-of-rose  is  more 
or  less  fixed,  varying  only  from  lo  to  15  per  cent,  according 
to  the  elevation  of  the  localities  in  which  the  otto  is  produced. 
The  highest  proportion — 15  per  cent. — is  found  in  otto-of- 
rose  distilled  in  villages  situated  highest  in  the  Balkans ; 
while  the  villages  down  in  the  plains  produce  otto-of-rose 
containing  only  10  to  11  per  cent,  of  stereoptene.  We 
have  lately  made  experiments  to  distil  these  two  ingredients 
separately,  but  they  can  best  be  separated  from  each  other 
by  a  very  simple  physical  process.  The  average  proportion 
of  these  two  ingredients  in  our  stocks  during  the  last  five 
years  has  been  about  12 J  per  cent,  of  stereoptene  and  8y^  per 
cent,  of  oleoptene. 

"The  oil  usually  employed  for  the  adulteration  of  otto-of- 
rose  is  the  geranium  oil  {Palagonium  Radula)  known  to  the 
trade  as  Turkish  geranium  oil.  This  oil  is  made  in  India 
and  is  sold  in  Constantinople.  Formerly  they  used  this  oil 
as  adulterant  in  its  crude  state,  but  now  it  is  generally  refined 
in  rose-water  or  rose-flower  before  it  is  used.  No  matter  how 
well  refined,  it  is  impossible  to  put  5  per  cent,  of  it  in  otto- 
of-rose  without  changing  the  freezing  point  of  the  otto,  its 
specific  gravity,  and  the  proportion  in  which  the  stereoptene 
and  oleoptene  are  combined.  Geranium  oil  contains  no 
stereoptene,  and  in  consequence  does  not  crystallise.  In  the 
best  refined  geranium  oil  the  specific  gravity  is  fully  -880 — 
a  difference  in  weight  of  about  eighteen  points.  All  this 
helps  to  detect  its  presence  in  otto-of-rose.      It  can  also  be 


AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY  221 

detected  by  means  of  the  iodine  as  well  as  the  nitric  acid 
tests.  The  presence  of  geranium  oil  in  otto-of-rose  lowers 
its  freezing  point,  renders  its  specific  gravity  heavier,  and 
changes  the  proportion  in  which  the  oleoptene  and  stereoptene 
are  combined. 

"  In  order  to  rectify  these  defects,  the  use  of  spermaceti, 
paraffin,  and  alcohol  have  often  been  resorted  to,  but  the 
presence  of  all  these  three  substances  can  be  discovered  without 
any  difficulty.  The  crystals  of  both  spermaceti  and  paraffin 
are  entirely  different  from  the  crystals  of  the  stereoptene  of 
otto-of-rose,  and  otto-of-rose  containing  any  proportion  of 
either  will  lose,  when  congealed,  its  sharp-pointed,  needle-like 
crystals.  Besides,  paraffin  and  spermaceti  being  fatty  oils, 
are  much  heavier,  and  in  time  will  settle  at  the  bottom. 
Furthermore,  they  are  not  volatile  as  stereoptene.  The 
presence  of  alcohol  is  detected  either  by  the  use  of  double 
distilled  water  or  of  pure  glycerine." 

By  resorting  to  these  various  tests  in  the  selection  of 
supplies  from  growers,  as  well  as  by  extensive  distillation  in 
all  the  principal  localities,  respectable  firms  are  always  able 
to  procure  the  finest  otto-of-rose  and  to  export  it  in  its  absolute 
purity. 

The  whole  rose  district  comprises  in  all  173  villages,  devoted 
to  rose  culture,  with  about  15,500  acres  of  rose  plantations. 
These  yield  annually  from  20,000,000  to  25,000,000  pounds  of 
rose-flowers,  for  the  distillation  of  which  some  13,000  native 
stills  are  used.  The  total  yield  of  otto  annually  varies  according 
to  the  year — from  90,000  to  150,000  ounces ;  the  average  crop 
being  about  120,000  ounces  of  pure  otto-of-rose.  It  generally 
takes  from  160  to  250  pounds  rose-flowers  to  make  one  ounce 
of  otto — and  there  are  about  300  roses  to  the  pound. 

Nearly  all  the  otto  produced  in  Bulgaria  is  exported  for 
consumption  abroad,  and  chiefly  to  New  York,  Paris,  and 
London,  its  three  largest  markets,  and  from  there  it  is  dis- 
tributed all  over  the  world.  Formerly  the  perfumers  used 
to  be  supplied  through  the  intermediary  of  Constantinople, 
Leipzig,  and  London,  but  now  all  large  consumers  buy  their 
supply  direct.    The  house  of  Shipkoff  was  the  first  to  inaugurate 


2iz  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

tins  s>'Stem  of  direct  relations.  It  saves  many  extra  charges, 
and  jn  case  of  the  goods  dehvered  turning  out  badly,  the 
guilty  party  is  at  once  detected. 

Shipkofts  do  not  believe  in  all  sorts  of  grades,  their  motto 
being,  "  Only  one  quality — the  best." 

The  culture  of  roses  in  Bulgaria  is  not  only  the  oldest 
and  most  attractive  industry  of  the  country,  but  also  quite 
exclusively  its  own.  While  roses  are  found  all  over  the  world 
and  arc  grown  everywhere  in  garden-beds,  in  Bulgaria  they 
are  grown  in  extensive  fields,  as  we  grow  the  potato 
or  com.  This  industry,  however,  is  confined  only  to  one 
special  district  in  Bulgaria,  which  is  comprised  in  the  eight 
counties  above  mentioned,  with  Kazanlik  as  their  central 
town,  called,  in  consequence,  the  capital  of  the  rose  district. 
The  rose  district  extends  along  that  portion  of  the  southern 
slopes  of  the  Balkan  mountains,  comprising  in  itself  the 
branch  range  of  the  Little  Balkans,  which  shoots  out  of  the 
main  Balkans  and  forms  one  of  its  chief  arms.  The  average 
length  of  the  rose  district  is  about  eighty  miles,  and  its  average 
width  is  about  thirty  miles.  Its  average  elevation  is  about 
1300  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  average  height  of 
the  Balkans  along  the  rose  district  is  about  5600  feet,  while 
that  of  the  Little  Balkans  is  about  3700  feet. 

Attempts  have  often  been  made  to  grow  roses  all  over 
Bulgaria,  but  they  have  all  proved  a  failure.  It  is  true  that 
roses  have  been  grown,  and  are  grown  to  this  day,  in  Persia, 
India,  Egypt,  and  China  for  this  purpose,  but  they  hardly 
produce  any  otto-of-rose.  They  produce  almost  exclusively 
rose-water,  and  it  is  chiefly  used  for  local  consumption.  In  the 
Maritime  Alps  of  Southern  France,  and  especially  in  Cannes 
and  Grasse,  they  grow  quite  extensively  the  "  Provence  rose," 
and  they  extract  from  it  a  peculiar  otto-of-rose,  but  the  quantity 
is  very  limited,  and  they  chiefly  use  their  flowers  to  make 
pomades  and  rose-water.  In  Leipzig  they  also  grow  roses, 
but  with  very  little  success.  Almost  in  all  the  other  places 
where  the  roses  are  grown,  they  lack  the  peculiar  advantages 
of  climate  that  Bulgaria  possesses,  and  have  in  consequence 
to   use   twice   and   even   thrice   the   quantity   of   flowers   to 


AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY  223 

make  the  same  amount  of  otto.  The  hottest  weather  ever 
experienced  in  summer  in  this  part  of  Bulgaria  is  88°  Fahr. 
and  the  coldest  of  winter  is  rarely  under  i$°  Fahr.  above  zero. 
Then,  during  the  harvest  and  distillation  season,  which  is  in 
the  latter  part  of  May  and  the  first  part  of  June,  there  we 
have  regular  showers  of  rain  and  in  the  mornings  heavy  falls  of 
dew — both  absolutely  necessary  for  the  otto-of-rose  distillation. 

After  the  Russo-Turkish  War  in  1877-78,  when  Bulgaria 
was  separated  from  Turkey  and  constituted  into  an  inde- 
pendent Principality,  the  Turkish  Government  spent  thousands 
of  pounds  in  trying  to  replant  the  Kazanlik  rose  in  Asia  Minor, 
and  many  scores  of  rose-gardens  were  planted  around  Broussa, 
but  to  no  purpose.  The  gardens  grew,  thrived,  and  yielded 
plenty  of  flowers,  but  when  distilled  they  got  only  rose-water 
and  very  little  otto,  so  the  work,  in  consequence,  could  not 
pay.  It  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  soil,  and  chiefly  that  of  the 
atmosphere  of  this  special  district  in  Bulgaria,  caused  by 
the  peculiar  formation  of  the  mountain  ranges  surrounding 
it,  which  makes  the  roses  thrive  and  yield  sufficient  otto-of- 
rose  to  pay  for  the  very  laborious  work  that  the  culture  entails. 

The  red  rose  grown  is  a  semi-double  light  red  rose  like 
the  French  rose  du  roi,  having  from  thirty  to  thirty-six  petals 
and  possessing  an  extremely  rich  and  fragrant  odour.  The 
growing  of  the  rose  is  very  much  like  the  growth  of  the  vine, 
and  the  planting  of  a  rose-garden  is  similar  to  that  of  a  vine- 
yard. After  the  ground  has  been  prepared  by  tilling  and 
manuring,  ditches  are  made  in  rows,  about  a  foot  and  a  half 
in  depth  and  width,  and  a  yard  and  a  half  apart.  At  the 
bottom  of  these  ditches  soft  earth  mixed  with  manure  is  spread, 
on  which  the  roots  forming  the  bushes  of  the  new  rose-garden 
and  taken  from  old  bushes  are  firmly  stuck  vertically,  and 
then  well  covered  up  with  the  earth  and  manure.  This  is 
generally  done  in  the  spring,  when  the  rain  showers  abound. 
The  roses  thus  planted  soon  take  root,  and  in  less  than  two 
months  send  up  soft,  glossy  green  shoots,  which  in  a  year 
become  about  a  foot  high.  In  the  second  year  they  are  over 
two  feet  high,  and  yield  a  few  rose-flowers.  The  first  crop 
worth  gathering  is  in  the  third  year,  and  in  the  fifth  year  they 


2j.|  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

attain  tlioir  full  growth.  They  reach  then  a  height  of  about 
six  foot,  tho  biishos  forming  thick  rows  of  clustered  rose-trees 
and  continuing  to  yi^^^ld  rich  crops  of  flowers  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years,  and  in  some  localities  twenty-five  years,  after 
tho  lapse  of  which  time  they  become  old,  begin  to  die  from 
tho  winter's  cold  and  frost,  and  yield  but  few  fiowers.  Then 
the  old  rose-bushes  are  dug  out  and  the  garden  is  planted 
anew. 

A  rose-garden  requires  constant  care.  During  the  year 
it  is  hood  throe  times.  In  autumn  the  roots  are  covered  up 
with  earth  to  guard  them  from  the  winter's  cold.  In  spring 
that  earth  is  thrown  off  and  the  bushes  are  pruned,  and  every 
other  year  the  garden  is  manured. 

The  roses  yield  only  one  crop  every  year.  The  rose-harvest 
begins  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  and  as  the  weather  is  dry 
and  hot  or  cool  and  rainy  during  the  blossoming  season,  it 
may  last  from  eighteen  to  thirty  days.  During  the  whole 
liarvest  the  distillation  of  the  crop  is  carried  on.  Morning 
after  morning,  hours  before  sunrise,  groups  of  young  maidens 
and  boys,  all  dressed  in  their  beautiful  bright-coloured  native 
costumes,  proceed  wdth  songs  to  the  rose-gardens  to  gather 
the  newly  opened  buds  while  the  heavy  morning  dew  is  still 
on  the  blossoms.  Nothing  can  present  a  more  captivating 
scene  than  a  rose-garden  in  bloom,  with  its  gaily  attired  peasant- 
girls  gathering  the  roses,  and  its  nightingales — those  romantic 
lovers  of  the  Regina  florum — trying  in  most  melodious  songs 
to  out-sing  the  maidens. 

As  soon  as  the  roses  are  gathered  they  are  taken  to  the 
distillery,  spread  in  cool  and  shady  rooms,  and  gradually 
distilled  during  the  day.  The  alembics  used  for  this  purpose 
are  of  the  simplest  kind.  They  consist  of  a  convex  tinned 
copper  boiler,  narrowed  at  the  top  to  a  neck  on  which  is  fixed 
a  spherical  head-piece  with  a  tube  on  one  side,  to  which  is 
attached  the  condensing  tube,  sloping  down  and  passing 
through  the  condenser  or  refrigerator,  a  large  vessel  into 
which  cold  water  is  constantly  running.  The  capacity  of 
the  boiler  is  about  250  pounds  of  water.  In  distilling  the 
roses  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  pounds  of  fiowers  are  put 


Gathering    Roses    at    Kazanlik. 


Testing  Otto  of  Rose  at   Kazanlik. 


AT  A  ROSE  DISTILLERY  225 

in  it,  and  from  five  to  six  times  that  much  of  water,  thus 
nearly  filUng  three-fourths  of  the  boiler. 

This  done,  the  head-piece  and  condensing  tube  are  tightly 
attached,  the  fire  started,  and  the  distilling  of  its  contents 
begun.  This  is  carried  on  about  forty-five  minutes,  until 
thirty  to  thirty-five  pounds  of  rose-water  are  extracted  from 
each  boiler.  The  boilers  are  then  emptied,  cleansed  with 
clear  water,  and  the  same  process  is  repeated  until  all  the 
morning-gathered  flowers  are  distilled.  The  rose-water  ex- 
tracted from  the  first  distillation  is  redistilled  in  the  same 
way,  only  in  this  second  distillation  from  100  to  120  pounds 
of  rose-water  are  used,  and  out  of  it  they  extract  some  thirty 
to  thirty-five  pounds  of  second  rose-water.  This  double- 
distilled  rose-water  is  very  strong  in  odour  and  quite  turbid 
in  appearance;  it  is  full  of  tiny  yeUow- white  oily  globules 
floating  in  it,  and  as  the  bottle  is  filled  they  rise  up  and  gather 
on  the  top  of  the  long-necked  bottles  in  which  the  rose-water 
runs.  These  globules  are  the  otto-of-rose,  and  when  all  the 
oil  has  settled  on  the  tops  of  the  bottles,  it  is  skimmed  and 
put  in  separate  bottles  by  little  conical  spoons,  with  a  little 
hole  in  the  bottom,  large  enough  to  let  the  water  run  out  but 
not  the  oil. 

Thus  collected,  the  otto  is  sent  to  London,  Paris,  and  New 
York,  where  it  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  high-class  perfumes 
and  soaps,  etc. 


15 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  FUTURE  OF  BULGARIA 

Bulgaria's  future  greatness — Her  firm  policy  in  Macedonia — An  audience 
of  Dr.  Stanciofi,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs — A  chat  with  the  Prime 
Minister — Turkey  the  enemy  of  Bulgaria — Balkan  "  news "  in  the 
London  papers — How  it  is  manufactured — Turkish  dominion  doomed. 

THE  future  of  Bulgaria  is  assured. 
Bulgaria,  with  Servia,  is  destined  to  become  the  power 
in  the  Balkans.  Vigorous,  strong,  and  fearless,  under  a  Prince 
who  has  the  courage  of  his  own  convictions,  the  country  is 
one  of  progress,  of  great  military  strength  and  continual 
expansion.  The  Bulgar  differs  from  the  Roumanian  inas- 
much as  he  is  more  patriotic  and  far  less  extravagant ;  he  is 
frugal,  progressive,  and  active.  His  capital  is  not  the  weak 
imitation  of  Paris,  as  is  Bucharest,  nor  are  his  officers  gorgeously 
dressed  and  corseted.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  hardy,  well 
trained,  well  equipped,  and  business-like  to  a  degree. 

Some  interesting  sidelights  upon  Bulgaria's  growing 
military  strength  have  been  revealed  at  the  recent  manoeuvres, 
while  an  afternoon  walk  through  Sofia  will  show  how  rapidly 
and  firmly  is  the  capital  being  established — the  capital  which 
is  destined  some  day  to  be  the  capital  of  the  Balkans. 

On  every  hand  I  saw  evidence  of  Bulgaria's  future 
greatness.  The  Ministry,  without  exception,  is  a  strong  one 
and  incorruptible.  There  is  a  firmness  and  stability  about 
everything,  all  betokening  a  great  future.  Ministerial 
crises  are  few,  and  the  people  do  not  neglect  their  affairs 
for  politics,  as  is  the  case  in  some  Balkan  countries.  Under 
Prince    Ferdinand    Bulgaria  has  progressed  amazingly,   and 


^^1  THE  FUTURE  OF  BULGARIA  227 

in  the  near  future  will  assume  a  position  of  supreme  import- 
ance in  the  Peninsula.  Her  policy  towards  Roumania  is, 
however,  a  somewhat  undecided  one.  While  the  Roumanians 
fondly  think  that  Bulgaria  cannot  take  decisive  action  in 
Macedonia  without  her  consent,  Bulgaria  seems  to  calmly 
ignore  Roumania's  existence.  I  have  reason  for  believing 
that  some  satisfactory  agreement  will  be  arrived  at  in  the 
course  of  the  next  month  or  two.  Bulgaria,  however,  is 
wide  awake  and  well  aware  that  Roumania  is  desirous  of 
a  slice  of  her  territory  from  the  Danube  down  to  the  Black 
Sea.  Only  to  obtain  this  would  Roumania  be  party  to  any 
alliance  regarding  Macedonia. 

One  morning  at  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  in  Sofia 
I  had  audience  with  the  newly  appointed  Minister,  His  Excel- 
lency Dr.  Dimitri  Stancioff .  He  is  the  coming  man  of  Bulgaria, 
at  one  time  private  secretary  to  the  Prince,  and  afterwards, 
as  already  explained,  diplomatic  agent  in  St.  Petersburg,  where 
he  had  an  extremely  brilliant  career. 

Of  middle  height,  slim  of  figure,  with  dark  hair  slightly 
silvered,  a  keen,  rather  aquiline  face,  and  sharp  eyes,  he  is  a 
man  full  of  eager  activity,  quick  perception,  and  indomitable 
energy. 

He  had  only  been  in  office  a  few  days,  and  was  overwhelmed 
with  work,  yet  he  spared  me  half  an  hour  for  a  chat,  although 
certain  chiefs  of  the  foreign  missions  were  waiting  for  audience. 
In  his  quiet,  sombre,  business-like  cabinet,  he  sat  behind  his 
littered  table,  smiling  affably  and  ready  to  answer  any  ques- 
tions I  put  to  him. 

"  You  want  to  see  Bulgaria  ?  Very  well,  I  will  give  orders 
that  you  have  good  guides,  and  that  you  are  supplied  with  all 
the  oificial  information  available.  Only,"  he  laughed,  "  please 
do  not  flatter  us.     We  prefer  honest  criticism." 

He  took  down  a  list  of  the  heads  of  the  information  I 
wanted,  gave  me  a  cigarette,  and  then  we  discussed  the  future 
of  Bulgaria. 

"  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  has  told  me  that  he  sent 
you  an  autographed  portrait  last  night.  Have  you  received 
it?" 


228  AN  ORSERVKR  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

I  replied  in  tlio  anirmative. 

"  Ho  will  see  you  in  Varna,"  he  went  on,  "  His  Highness 
partieularly  wishes  to  see  you." 

Then  I  asked  him  to  explain  Bulgaria's  future  policy  in 
the  Balkans. 

"  You  heard  my  sj)ecch  in  the  Sobranje.  Well,  that 
constitutes  in  brief  the  future  policy  of  Bulgaria — peace.  We 
are  a  young  nation,  and  we  do  not  desire  any  complications 
with  our  neighbours.  You  have  seen  Sofia.  You  have  seen 
how  in  the  past  ten  years  it  has  risen.  Yet  there  still  remains 
very  much  to  do.  The  city  is  in  a  state  of  construction,  and 
so  it  is  all  through  the  country.  All  we  desire  is  to  be  allowed 
peace,  in  order  to  develop  our  resources." 

"  And  your  relations  with  Turkey  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Ah  !  those  constant  incidents  in  Macedonia  are  of  course 
regrettable.  The  question  is  always  with  us.  Yet  since 
I  assumed  office  I  have  received  reports  from  our  diplomatic 
agent  in  Constantinople  which  clearly  show  that  Turkey 
has  assumed  a  much  more  conciliatory  attitude.  We  are 
hoping  for  the  best.  Our  relations  with  Turkey  are  still 
friendly,  and  the  friendship  is  becoming  daily  more  firmly 
cemented.  What  we  wish,  however,  to  see  is  greater  interest 
taken  by  the  Powers  in  the  Macedonian  question.  Neither 
Bulgaria  nor  Scrvia  nor  Roumania  can  solve  the  great 
problem — only  joint  action  by  the  Powers.  We  hope  that, 
ere  long,  an  international  council  may  be  held  to  discuss  and 
decide  the  question  once  and  for  all.  The  present  state  of 
affairs  is  intolerable.  But  you  will  see  for  yourself  when 
you  get  into  Macedonia." 

And  assuredly,  two  months  later,  I  did  see — things  that 
are  incredible  in  Europe  in  this  twentieth  century. 

I  also  had  a  pleasant  chat  with  Monsieur  D.  Petkoff,  the 
Prime  Minister.  We  sat  next  each  other  at  dinner  one  night 
at  Sir  George  Buchanan's,  and  I  learnt  that  he  had  been  re- 
sponsible for  the  destruction  of  old  Sofia,  and  the  laying  out  of 
the  new  city.  For  six  years  of  the  reconstruction  he  had  been 
Mayor  of  the  capital,  and,  as  I  afterwards  learnt,  to  his  efforts 
the  great  progress  had  been  due.     Sofia  may  well  be  called 


Summit  of  the  Shipka   Pass. 


Defile  of  the   Isker. 


THE  FUTURE  OF  BULGARIA  229 

Petkoffopolis.  At  any  rate,  it  is  hoped  that  one  of  the  streets 
will  be  named  after  him.  He  struck  me  as  an  earnest,  thought- 
ful man,  the  born  leader  of  a  party.  Rather  short  of  stature, 
dark-haired,  with  a  small  imperial  just  turning  grey,  his 
countenance  was  strong,  open,  and  very  pleasant.  He  spoke 
deliberately,  with  an  air  of  conviction,  and  his  conversation 
with  me,  which  was  of  a  private  nature,  was  that  of  a  man 
who  believed  in  the  future  of  his  country  and  was  an  advocate 
of  peace  and  progress. 

As  Austria  is  Servia's  sworn  enemy,  so  is  Turkey  the 
enemy  of  Bulgaria.  War  would  have  been  declared  by 
Turkey  against  Bulgaria  long  ago,  were  it  not  for  the  personal 
veto  of  the  Sultan,  who  is  not  only  contrary  to  hostilities  with 
his  near  neighbour,  but  views  Bulgaria  with  increasing 
favour.  His  Majesty  has,  if  the  real  truth  be  told,  accurately 
gauged  his  neighbour's  military  strength.  The  war  party 
in  Turkey  have  long  been  eager  for  an  attack  upon  Bulgaria, 
but  the  Sultan  is  a  far-seeing  monarch,  and  no  one  knows 
better  than  he  that  Bulgaria  is  very  strong  in  a  military 
sense,  and  is  a  power  to  be  reckoned  with  if  ever  the  Mace- 
donian question  is  solved  by  force  of  arms. 

At  present  it  is  the  Greeks  who,  by  their  unwarrantable 
attacks  upon  the  Macedonian  villages,  are  attempting  to 
incite  and  provoke  Bulgaria.  Here  is  an  instance.  Not 
long  ago  the  Bulgarian  police  received  secret  information, 
and  searched  the  house  of  the  Greek  Bishop  of  Philippopolis, 
where  they  found  many  incriminating  documents  showing 
plainly  that  the  Greek  Church  was  actually  collecting  funds 
for  armed  raids  upon  the  Bulgarians  in  Macedonia.  Letters 
were  found  addressed  to  the  various  Greek  priests  giving 
the  orders  as  to  how  they  should  act.  These  somehow  got 
into  the  papers,  whereupon  a  serious  riot  occurred  in  Philip- 
popohs,  and  the  Bulgarian  soldiery  were  sent  to  quell  it.  Bul- 
garia's enemies,  mostly  subsidised  Press  correspondents, 
declared  that  the  riot  against  the  Greeks  was  provoked  by 
the  Government  itself,  and  such  statements  were  published 
broadcast  in  the  Press  of  Europe.  These  allegations,  however, 
had  absolutely  no  foundation,  for  the  rising  was  purely  a 


230  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

local  one,  prompted  by  the  knowledge  that  the  Bishop 
was  fostering  a  conspiracy  against  their  brothers  in  Mace- 
donia. If  ever  the  Bulgarian  public  was  provoked  to  reprisals, 
it  wiis  on  that  historic  day,  and  the  Government's  action  was 
perfectly  justified  in  interfering,  otherwise  the  demonstra- 
tion against  tlie  Greeks  would  have  spread  aU  over  the  country, 
with  very  serious  result. 

Our  English  arm-chair  critics — those  who  do  not  travel 
and  see  the  countr}^  for  themselves — do  not  understand  the 
Balkans.  They  form  their  opinions  from  the  incorrect  and 
misleading  statements  made  by  journalists  and  by  journals 
subsidised  by  the  enemy.  Some  of  the  statements  are  so 
absurd  as  to  be  amusing,  for  they  are  utterly  devoid  of  the 
slightest  foundation  of  fact.  Indeed,  they  are  often  mere 
tissues  of  plausible  falsehoods. 

While  in  the  Balkans  I  read  extraordinary  accounts  in  the 
Zcit  of  things  that,  to  my  own  personal  knowledge,  never 
happened.  Each  day,  in  fact,  the  latest  brand-new  intelh- 
gence  from  the  Vienna  factory  is  served  up  to  Europe  with 
sauce  so  piquant  as  to  betray  its  origin. 

The  greater  part  of  the  so-called  "  news  "  concerning  the 
Balkans  appearing  in  the  English  Press  is  utterly  unreliable. 
The  correspondents,  with  few  exceptions,  are  Austrians,  and 
also  act  as  correspondents  of  the  anti-Servian  or  anti-Bul- 
garian papers  printed  in  Vienna.  From  Austria  these  un- 
scrupulous scribblers  gain  more  than  from  England,  and 
therefore  we  are  allowed  glimpses  of  the  Balkans  only  through 
Austrian  spectacles.  Spend  a  week  in  any  Balkan  city,  and 
you  will  in  future  heed  none  of  the  glib  canards  you  read  in 
your  responsible  London  morning  paper  regarding  Servia 
or  Bulgaria. 

Austria  and  Turkey  are  for  ever  conspiring  in  the  Balkans. 
Austria  has  her  eye  on  Servia,  while  Turkey  intends,  if  possible, 
to  put  her  foot  into  Bulgaria,  or  at  least  to  prevent  the  forma- 
tion of  a  "  big  Bulgaria."  As  far  as  Turkey  is  concerned, 
as  long  as  the  Sultan  lives  there  will  be  no  declaration  of 
war  against  Bulgaria.  His  Majesty's  death  would,  I  fear, 
be  the  declaration  of  war  between  the  two  countries — and 


THE  FUTURE  OF  BULGARIA  231 

then  the  sallow-faced  gentleman  in  fez  and  sUppers  will  have  an 
unhappy  time.  The  day  of  the  Sultan's  death  will  put  the 
Balkans  aflame,  and  then  the  map  of  the  Peninsula  will 
assuredly  be  very  quickly  altered. 

But  before  then  Bulgaria  may  declare  war. 


ROUMANIA 


His    Majesty    King    Charles    of    Roumania. 


CHAPTER    I 
BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY 

My  friend  the  spy — How  I  was  watched  through  the  Balkans — An  exciting 
half-hour — The  Paris  of  the  Near  East — Gaiety,  extravagance,  and 
pretty  women — Forty  years  of  progress — The  paradise  of  the  idler — 
Husbands  wanted  ! 

MY  friend  the  spy  picked  me  up  at  Rustchuk. 
He  was  a  well-dressed,  middle-aged  man,  in  a  black 
overcoat  with  a  velvet  collar.  His  face  was  sharply  cut  and 
intelligent,  but  his  dark  eyes  were  set  rather  too  closely  together 
to  suit  me.  Suddenly  I  recollected  having  seen  the  same 
man  in  the  streets  of  Sofia  a  week  before.  Indeed,  I  saw  him 
frequently  when  in  the  Bulgarian  capital,  but  until  I  met  him 
that  night  upon  the  Danube  steamer,  between  Rustchuk  and 
Guirgevo,  the  thought  never  occurred  to  me  that  the  fellow 
was  persistently  following  me. 

Then,  like  a  flash,  each  of  the  occasions  I  had  seen  him 
came  back  to  me.  Not  only  had  he  followed  me  in  Sofia,  but 
I  now  recollected  having  seen  him  in  Belgrade  and  in  Zimony. 
The  fellow  was  a  spy — Austrian  without  a  doubt.  It  was 
not  my  first  acquaintance  with  spies.  I  had  met  many  of 
them  in  the  course  of  my  wanderings  up  and  down  Europe. 
Some,  indeed,  are  among  my  personal  acquaintances. 

Until  you  travel  in  the  Balkans,  and  more  especially  if 
you  are  having  interviews  with  Ministers  and  officials,  you 
can  have  no  idea  of  the  audacity  and  activity  of  Austria's 
secret  agents.  They  swarm  everywhere.  The  Grand  Hotel 
at  Belgrade  is  full  of  them,  and  in  Sofia  they  also  flourish  as 
part  of  the  great  secret   army  which  the  Austrian  Govern- 


236  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

mcnt  keeps  in  tho  East,  from  Zimony  right  down  to  Con- 
stantinople. 

It  was  a  bitterly  cold  night,  with  slight  drizzling  rain.  The 
spy  was  standing  on  deck  in  the  shadow  at  a  little  distance 
from  me.  The  recollection  that  I  had  with  me  a  quantity 
of  otVicial  documents  given  and  lent  to  me  by  the  Servian 
and  Bulgarian  Governments  was  the  reverse  of  reassuring. 
I  felt  in  my  pocket  for  my  revolver.  Yes,  the  handy  little 
weapon  was  ready  for  use,  in  case  of  necessity. 

There  were  only  four  or  five  passengers,  and  I  knew  that 
across  the  Danube  the  Roumanian  train  taking  me  on  to 
Bucharest  would  be  practically  empty.  And  so  it  proved, 
for  after  landing,  getting  my  passport  visM  and  my  baggage 
througli  the  Roumanian  Customs,  I  walked  to  the  train,  to 
fmd  it  empty,  lit  only  by  dim  flickering  oil-lamps,  which  gave 
scarcely  sufficient  light  to  see  into  the  corners  of  the  com- 
partments. 

I  looked  back,  and  yes,  surely  enough,  the  spy  was  follow- 
ing me  !  I  was  alone,  for  I  had  sent  my  servant  on  to  Bucharest 
by  the  morning  train.  I  got  into  a  compartment,  and  pre- 
sently, after  some  manoeuvring,  he  got  in  with  me.  I  was 
annoyed,  but  I  had  my  weapon  in  my  outside  pocket,  and 
intended  to  fire  through  my  pocket  if  he  attempted  to  attack 
me,  or  get  at  my  despatch-box  on  the  seat  at  my  side. 

Calmly  he  lit  a  cigarette,  then  inquired  in  French — which 
he  spoke  excellently — 

"  M'sieur  is  going  on  to  Bucharest  ?  Ah  !  what  a  wretched 
train  service — eh  ?     I  suppose  you  go  on  to  Constantinople  ?  " 

I  looked  him  straight  in  the  face  and  replied — 

"  My  destination  is  no  affair  of  yours,  m'sieur.  And  I 
have  neither  desire  nor  intention  that  you  should  follow  me 
any  farther.  You  must  think  I'm  blind,  I  saw  you  in 
Servia  a  dozen  times,  and  in  Bulgaria  afterwards,  and  here 
3'Ou  are  in  Roumania  !  Your  game  may  be  interesting  to 
yourself,  but  it  is  annoying  to  me,  I  can  assure  you — very 
annoying." 

The  fellow  looked  aghast.  He  was  not  clever  at  all ;  for 
he  stammered  something  in  Hungarian,  and  then,  in  French, 


Snap-shots  in   Bucharest. 


BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY  237 

declared  that  he  had  never  followed  me.  We  had  met  and 
re-met  by  accident,  he  assured  me.     That  was  all. 

"  Well,"  I  said,  pretty  sternly,  "  just  take  care  that  we 
don't  meet  again  by  accident  after  to-night.  You  under- 
stand ?  "  The  train  was  moving,  so  he  was  compelled  to 
travel  in  the  same  compartment  with  me  to  the  next  stopping- 
place  on  the  fifty-mile  run  that  separates  the  Danube  from 
the  Roumanian  capital. 

"  I  know,"  I  went  on,  "  that  you  think  I  have  some  official 
documents  with  me  that  would  be  extremely  interesting  to 
your  employers.  Yes,  I  admit  I  have  had  some,  but  I'm 
scarcely  such  a  fool  as  to  travel  about  with  them.  They 
would  be  interesting  reading  to  you,  but  fortunately  they 
are  already  safe  in  London.  So  you  are  really  only  wasting 
your  valuable  time,  my  dear  monsieur." 

"  M'sieur  quite  misunderstands  me — he  takes  common 
politeness  for  inquisitiveness." 

"  Well,  I  don't  want  any  of  your  pohte  attentions,"  I 
declared  very  bluntly;  "and  if  j^ou  don't  get  out  at  the 
next  station  I  shall  just  kick  you  out.  You  understand 
that  ?  " 

He  saw  I  had  my  hand  in  my  jacket-pocket  all  the  time, 
and  doubtless  guessed  what  I  had  there. 

"  I  shall  stay  here,"  he  answered  defiantly. 

"  Excellent,"  was  my  response.  "  And  when  we  get  to 
the  next  station  I  shall  call  the  gendarmes  and  have  you 
arrested  as  a  foreign  secret  agent." 

"  You've  made  a  great  mistake,"  he  declared  resentfully. 

"  Very  well.  Let's  see.  You  remain  here,  and  I'll  call 
the  police." 

He  did  not  reply.  For  half  an  hour  he  sat  quite  silent, 
while  I,  fearing  treachery,  kept  my  hand  upon  the  trigger  of 
my  weapon,  for  as  a  matter  of  fact  I  had  with  me  some  papers 
of  the  very  highest  importance  to  Austria — papers  that  would 
have  compromised  certain  highly-placed  persons  in  the  Balkans. 
The  spy  was  evidently  aware  of  this,  and  it  was  the  motive  of 
his  strenuous  endeavour  to  seize  an  opportunity  to  get  hold  of 
the  confidential  statements  in  question.     In  Roumania,  as  in 


238  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Soi\ia.  thoy  treat  foreign  spies  with  scant  courtesy,  and  the 
fellow's  manner  belied  liis  defiant  words. 

That  half-hour  was  an  exciting  one,  until  at  last,  after 
what  seemed  an  interminable  period,  the  train  slowed  down 
and  came  to  a  standstill,  when  my  inquisitive  friend  of  evil 
intentions  descended,  and  without  a  word  disappeared  in 
the  darkness. 

I  thought  I  had  rid  myself  of  his  surveillance,  but  I  was 
mistaken.  Next  day  I  met  him  in  the  streets  of  Bucharest, 
and  so  persistently  did  he  follow  me  that  I  was  compelled  to 
lodge  a  complaint  with  the  police.  As  soon  as  I  had  done  that, 
I  saw  him  no  more.  My  own  belief  was  that  he  was  arrested. 
He  may  be  in  prison  now,  for  all  I  know.  In  any  case,  he 
disappeared  as  completely  as  though  the  earth  had  swallowed 
him  up. 

This  little  incident,  both  annoying  and  exciting  at  the 
time,  was  my  first  adventure  on  entering  Roumania,  but  it 
was  soon  forgotten  amid  the  gaieties  of  smart  Bucharest. 

The  Roumanian  capital  is  a  place  apart.  Roumania  is  not 
a  Balkan  State  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  and  has  progressed 
so  rapidly  during  the  forty  odd  years  of  its  freedom  that  in 
Bucharest  to-day,  save  for  Roumanian  names  over  the  shop- 
fronts,  one  may  easily  believe  oneself  to  be  in  Paris  or  in 
Brussels. 

Indeed,  some  of  the  buildings,  notably  the  new  Post  Office, 
the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs,  and  the  Academy,  are  un- 
equalled not  only  in  Brussels,  but  even  in  Paris.  Bucharest 
is  a  gay  city  of  external  glitter,  bright,  merry,  and  highly 
amusing  after  some  of  the  dull,  half-civilised  country  towns 
in  the  Balkans.  Smart  cafes  and  confectioners,  expensive 
hotels,  shops  that  charge  double  prices  of  those  in  Paris, 
and  theatres  where  one  pays  a  sovereign  for  a  stall,  are  all 
to  be  found  in  Bucharest.  The  boulevards  are  broad  and 
full  of  life  and  movement,  and  the  Galea  Victoriei,  the  Boule- 
vard Carol,  and  Strad  Lipsicani  are  as  busy  as  any  thoroughfare 
of  a  Western  capital. 

Nearly  every  public  building  has  a  dome,  while  the  chief 
object  of  a  Roumanian  seems   to  be  to  build  for  himself  a 


BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY  239 

wonderfully  ornate  house  and  gild  the  railings  in  front.  Many 
of  the  fagades  of  the  private  houses  are  marvels  of  florid  bad 
taste.  Again,  though  in  the  streets,  in  drawing-rooms  and 
at  cafes  and  theatres,  I  met  hundreds  upon  hundreds  of 
officers,  crowds  of  lieutenants,  swarms  of  captains  and  a  good 
sprinkling  of  generals,  all  in  wonderful  uniforms,  yet  I  was 
four  days  in  Bucharest  before  I  discovered  a  real  soldier — 
and  then  quite  by  accident.  He  wore  a  brown  uniform,  and 
I  mistook  him  for  a  wagon-lit  conductor. 

Bucharest  is  a  city  of  vivid  contrasts — a  wildly  gay,  go- 
ahead  city,  which  justly  bears  the  reputation  of  being  one  of 
the  most  expensive  in  the  world.  For  the  poor  it  is  the 
cheapest ;  for  the  rich,  the  dearest.  Prices,  for  instance,  at 
the  Hotel  du  Boulevard  are  higher  than  at  the  Savoy  or 
Carlton  in  London,  yet  everything  is  excellent,  the  sterlet 
quite  as  good  as  at  the  Hermitage  at  Moscow,  and  the  caviare 
such  as  one  only  gets  in  the  best  restaurants  in  Russia. 

As  one  wanders  in  the  streets  the  Western  eye  meets  many 
quaint  sights.  For  instance,  the  birjas,  or  cabs,  are  open 
victorias  drawn  by  a  pair  of  long-tailed  Russian  horses, 
and  driven  by  men  wearing  great  padded  overcoats  of  blue- 
black  velvet — huge  affairs  that  give  them  very  portly  pro- 
portions. Around  the  waist  is  worn  a  piece  of  gaily  coloured 
satin  ribbon, and  on  the  head  the  round  Balkan  capof  astrachan. 
Most  of  the  drivers  are  Russian  refugees,  and  form  a  distinct 
class  apart.  Cabs  are  extremely  cheap,  and  the  rate  at  which 
one  is  driven  would  be  reckless  were  it  not  that  the  men  have 
such  perfect  control  over  their  horses. 

The  British  colony  is  not  a  large  one.  Its  head  is,  of 
course,  our  Minister,  Sir  Conyngham  Greene,  in  whose  able 
hands  British  interests  in  Roumania  have  recently  been 
placed.  Keen  and  active,  he  has  already  rearranged  our 
Consular  service  in  Roumania,  and  placed  the  Legation  on 
the  same  footing  as  those  of  the  other  Powers.  While  every 
other  European  nation  owns  a  Legation  house  in  Bucharest, 
we  have  none  ;  and  while  I  was  in  the  Roumanian  capital  he 
was  a  fellow-guest  at  the  Hotel  du  Boulevard.  It  is  under- 
stood, however,  that  the  Foreign  Ofhce— or  the  Treasury— 


240  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

have  recently  been  shamed  into  the  necessity  of  buying  a 
house,  and  very  soon  Sir  Conyngham  will  have  a  fitting 
residence,  as  the  other  representatives  of  the  Powers. 

Nobody  ever  deigns  to  walk  in  Bucharest.  Everybody 
takes  cabs,  therefore  the  streets  are  filled  with  vehicular  traffic 
till  far  into  the  night.  At  evening,  indeed,  Bucharest  is  at 
her  best.  Smart  restaurants,  with  pretty,  well-dressed  women, 
cosy  theatres,  flash  cafe-chantants,  and  noisy  garish  cafes 
abound  all  over  the  town,  while  outside,  notably  at  the  Villa 
Regala,  in  the  centre  of  a  park,  smart  dinners  and  suppers 
are  given. 

The  jennesse  dortfe  are  an  effeminate  and  extravagant 
crowd.  Gambling  permeates  the  whole  of  society,  and  large 
sums  are  lost  and  won  every  evening.  I  know  personally  one 
member  of  the  Roumanian  Cabinet  who  thinks  nothing  of 
losing  or  winning  a  couple  or  three  thousand  pounds  each 
week  at  cards.  He  plays  every  afternoon  at  the  Club,  and 
is  always  open  to  play  any  comer  for  any  stake  proposed,  no 
matter  what  it  may  be. 

Bucharest  is  a  typical  capital  of  a  wealthy,  easy-going 
country.  The  people  are  charitable,  and  spend  freely — when 
they  have  it.  The  shop-windows,  where  the  most  expensive 
table  delicacies  are  displayed,  show  the  foreigner  the  Rou- 
manians' extravagance  in  eating,  while  the  dresses  one  sees 
on  the  giddy  women-folk  are  as  up  to  date  as  any  that  one 
notices  in  the  Champs  Elysees,  the  Bois,  or  at  the  Opera. 
Yet  amid  all  this  up-to-dateness  the  old  horse-tram  still 
survives  and  jogs  along,  and  the  patient  white  oxen  toil 
slowly  through  the  streets,  dragging  their  heavy  springless 
carts. 

Unlike  Sofia,  or  in  Belgrade,  peasants  are  seldom  met  with 
in  the  streets  of  Bucharest.  One  may  go  a  whole  week  without 
coming  across  a  woman  in  national  costume,  unless,  of  course, 
the  market  is  specially  visited.  I,  however,  met,  in  Bucharest, 
Mr.  Harold  Hartley,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Earl's  Court 
Exhibition,  and  we  made  many  pleasant  excursions  into  the 
country  together.  To  the  traveller  from  Western  Europe  the 
city  is  highly  interesting  and  full  of  curious  types,  especially 


The   Royal   Palace  :   Bucharest. 


Boulevard   Elisabeta  :    Bucharest. 


BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY  241 

of  the  young  elegant,  whose  present  fashion,  it  seems,  is  to 
shave  only  the  front  of  his  chin  and  cheeks  and  grow  a 
beard  all  round,  very  similar  in  cut  to  that  of  a  monkey. 

When  one  recollects  that  about  forty  years  ago  Roumania 
was  a  semi-civiHsed  nation,  and  Bucharest  a  httle  Oriental 
town,  its  present  size  and  splendour  are  astounding.  To 
King  Charles'  rule  much  of  this  progress  is  due,  and  in  order 
to  celebrate  the  fortieth  year  of  his  reign  there  has  recently 
been  held  a  very  pretty  Exhibition,  a  miniature  of  the  great 
Exhibition  of  Paris.  It  was,  I  found,  most  interesting,  and 
fortunately  it  has  been  decided  to  preserve  several  of  the 
more  important  buildings,  including  a  really  excellent  replica 
of  a  Roman  amphitheatre.  The  gaming-room  is  also  to  be 
preserved,  of  course,  for  the  "  little  horses  "  have  great  attrac- 
tion for  the  merry  people  of  Bucharest. 

Yes,  this  Paris  of  the  East  is  indeed  a  strange  place,  especi- 
ally to  those  used  to  Western  morals  and  manners.  Everyone 
lives  far  above  his  income,  for  there  seems  no  limit  to  extrava- 
gance. Prices  are  often  extortionate.  As  an  example,  I  was 
charged  at  one  restaurant  half  a  crown  for  a  whisky-and- 
soda  !  At  a  shop  across  the  street  the  charge  for  the  same 
whisky  was  6  fr.  50  c.  a  bottle. 

Several  of  the  restaurants  are  excellent,  notably  the  Enescu, 
behind  the  royal  palace,  a  big  place,  where  the  best  Tzigane 
music  in  Roumania  is  provided  gratis.  The  gipsy  band  is 
under  one  Christache  Ciolac,  a  famous  violinist,  who  one  day 
will  no  doubt  make  his  mark  in  London.  The  orchestra  of 
the  Enescu  ought  to  be  imported  to  one  of  our  smart  restaurants 
and  it  would  create  a  great  sensation,  for  our  present  so-called 
Roumanian  music  cannot  be  compared  with  the  real  thing. 
Here,  at  Enescu's,  there  is  no  dressing  up  in  fancy  costumes — 
not  even  dress-coats.  But  the  music  is  there,  the  strange  weird 
gipsy  melodies  and  dances  that  run  in  one's  head  for  days 
afterwards. 

The  cookery  at  Enescu's,  too,  is  perhaps  the  best  in  the 

Roumanian   capital.     Next   to   it   is   the   restaurant   of   the 

Boulevard,  where  at  luncheon  there  is  a  table  set  apart  for 

the  diplomats,  and  is  always  occupied  by  the  various  young 

16 


242  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

attaches  and  secrotarios.  After  that,  comes  Capsa's.  The 
fominiiie  clement  in  the  restaurants  at  dinner  is  much  the 
same  as  it  is  at  home,  except  that  one  often  sees  a  mother  and 
two,  or  even  three,  daughters  dining  alone — dining  in  public, 
so  that  they  may  be  seen  by  some  stray  swain  who  is  desirous 
of  marriage.  One  night  at  Enescu's,  at  the  table  next  to  us, 
sat  an  Italian  duchess  of  ancient  lineage  married  to  a  Rou- 
manian aristocrat,  with  her  three  pretty  dark-eyed  daughters 
of  varying  ages,  eating  solemnly,  the  mother  ever  watchful 
to  see  whether  any  man  had  his  eye  upon  them.  We  after- 
wards saw  them  near  midnight  at  a  cafe  solemnly  sipping 
strops  and  looking  mournful  and  woebegone.  A  diplomat 
who  was  with  me  told  me  that  her  Grace  had  been  in 
Bucharest  staying  at  an  hotel  for  the  past  six  months,  trying 
to  get  her  daughters  off  her  hands,  and  was  now  beginning 
to  be  disgusted  at  her  non-success. 

The  Roumanian  has  a  great  hatred  of  the  Jew.  Perhaps 
it  is  because  his  extravagance  brings  him  so  often  into  their 
hands.  But  the  country  is  full  of  Hebrews.  The  capital  is 
not  over-burdened  with  them,  but  in  some  towns  in  Northern 
Moldavia  Jews  are  in  the  majority.  Indeed,  their  total 
number  in  the  united  provinces  exceeds  300,000,  or  about  one- 
twentieth  of  the  entire  population,  a  larger  ratio  than  in  any 
other  country  in  the  world.  In  most  provincial  towns  they 
have  the  monopoly  of  selling  strong  drinks,  and  are  of  course 
ever  ready  to  lend  money  to  the  peasant-proprietors.  Were 
it  not  for  the  fact  that  the  law  forbids  any  Jew  from  holding 
landed  property — or  any  foreigner,  for  the  matter  of  that — 
half  the  soil  would  probably  soon  be  in  their  hands.  The 
Moldavian  Jews  speak  a  different  language,  wear  a  different 
dress,  and  keep  themselves  aloof  from  their  neighbours,  just 
as  do  the  picturesque  cabmen  of  Bucharest. 

Roumania  can  boast  one  artist  who  is  really  great,  whose 
name  is  N.  J.  Grigoresco.  I  was  shown  some  of  his  works, 
the  property  of  Mr.  Ernest  Goodwin,  of  the  Roumanian 
Bank,  and  found  that  they  were  of  the  Barbizon  school, 
which  is  very  natural,  as  he  was  a  fellow  -  worker  with 
Millet.     Without  exception  the   work  was  excellent,  and  I 


BUCHAREST  OF  TO-DAY  243 

believe  there  is  some  idea  of  having  an  exhibition  of  it  in 
London. 

In  Bucharest  there  is  none  of  the  laziness  or  languor  of  the 
Orient.  Everyone  is  bent  on  business  or  upon  pleasure, 
and  life  for  the  idler  is  perhaps  even  more  pleasant  there 
than  in  any  other  capital  of  Europe.  Yes,  Bucharest  of 
to-day  astounds  one  in  many  ways. 


CHAPTER   II 
ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS 

Monsieur  Take  Jonesco.  Minister  of  Finance — The  smartest  man  in  Roumania 
— An  interview  with  General  Lahovary,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs — 
Secret  aims  of  Roumania — A  better  frontier  wanted — Germany's 
insincerity — Some  plain  truths — The  question  of  a  Balkan  Federation — 
— Oil  wells  waiting  to  be  exploited  by  British  capital. 

I  HAD  a  number  of  interviews  with  the  members  of 
the  Roumanian  Cabinet/  General  Jacques  Lahovary, 
Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  and  M.  Take  Jonesco,  Minister 
of  Finance,  being  both  particularly  helpful  to  me  in  my  inquiries 
regarding  Roumania's  political  aims  and  aspirations. 

With  the  President  of  the  Council,  with  General  Manu, 
Minister  of  War,  and  with  M.  Jean  Lahovary,  Minister  of 
Commerce,  I  also  had  long  and  interesting  conversations. 

M.  Take  Jonesco  struck  me  as  by  far  the  strongest  and 
shrewdest  man  in  the  present  Cabinet.  Keen,  quick,  and 
far-seeing,  he  has  of  recent  years  played  a  prominent  part 
in  bringing  his  country  into  its  present  satisfactory  state. 
Essentially  a  man  of  action,  a  smart  politician,  and  a  patriot, 
he  is  nevertheless  very  English,  for  he  has  an  English  wife,  and 
his  beautiful  home  is  essentially  English.  Unlike  most 
statesmen  in  the  East,  he  is  frank  and  outspoken.  He  speaks 
his  mind  fearlessly,  and  the  Opposition  hold  him  in  terror. 
Through  his  good  offices  I  was  afforded  facilities  for  studying 
various  questions  and  forming  my  own  conclusions.    General 

*  Since  this  volume  has  been  completed  the  Roumanian  Cabinet  has 
resigned  on  account  of  the  recent  peasant  rising,  which,  by  the  way,  was 
greatly  exaggerated  by  the  Austrian  press. 

244 


CD    kj 


o    c 


H     to 


O 


ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS  245 

Lahovary,  too,  is  a  strong  and  brilliant  man  politically,  of 
essentially  military  bearing,  with  a  clever  countenance,  a 
long  grey  moustache,  and  wears  a  monocle  with  a  tortoise- 
shell  rim. 

My  audience  with  him  was  of  an  essentially  confidential 
nature.  He  told  me  many  interesting  things  which,  for  the 
present,  it  would  be  injudicious  to  publish,  in  view  of  the 
strained  relations  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey.  The  Ministry 
of  Foreign  Affairs  is  a  millionaire's  palace — huge  white-and- 
gold  salons,  with  polished  floors,  fine  pictures,  and  beautiful 
^ilt-and-red  damask  furniture.  A  showy  millionaire  built  it 
as  his  residence,  and  died  soon  afterwards.  Then  the  Govern- 
ment bought  it  for  an  old  song,  with  the  result  that  the  Ministry 
is  housed  in  more  gorgeous  quarters  than  any  other  Ministry 
in  Europe. 

From  my  inquiries  in  various  political  quarters  in  Bucharest, 
both  among  members  of  the  Government  and  the  Opposition, 
I  found  one  unanimous  view,  that  war  between  Turkey  and 
Bulgaria  over  Macedonia  must  come  at  an  early  date.  In 
Roumania  the  opinion  is  that  even  though  a  European  prince 
be  appointed  Governor-General  of  Macedonia,  the  war  between 
the  two  countries  would  only  be  postponed.  It  is  believed 
that  Bulgaria  is  strong,  and  that  the  Stancioff  policy  will  be  to 
resist  the  Turk  by  arms  within  a  very  few  months. 

As  Bulgaria  hates  the  Turk,  so  does  Roumania.  But  the 
latter  will  not  assist  Bulgaria  unless  she  gets  some  quid  pro  quo. 
This  fact  became  very  forcibly  impressed  upon  me.  Bulgaria 
cannot  attack  Turkey  without  Roumania's  consent,  so  the 
Roumanians  declare.  And  moral  support  will  only  be  given 
on  one  condition.  That  is,  if  Bulgaria,  as  the  result  of  the  war, 
annexes  any  Macedonian  territory — as  she  naturally  would 
do — then  she  should  cede  to  Roumania  that  portion  of  her 
territory  lying  between  the  Danube  and  the  Black  Sea,  taking 
a  line  from  a  little  east  of  Rustchuk  to  a  little  east  of  Varna. 
Such  condition  is  certainly  not  to  be  viewed  in  Bulgaria  with 
any  satisfaction,  yet  as  its  acceptance  would  mean  the  extension 
of  Bulgaria  to  the  Adriatic,  the  settlement  of  the  Macedonian 
question,  and  the  final  destruction  of  effete  Turkey  as  a  power 


246  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Ml    luiropo,    tlio    Hiilgaiian   Cabinet   arc  considering   it   very 
airefully. 

Koumania  is  not  over-anxious  to  extend  her  territory,  but 
lur  iMvseut  frontier  between  Rustchuk  and  the  Black  Sea  is 
one  which  she  knows  it  would  be  impossible  to  defend  in  case 
of  hostilities.  She  therefore  desires  a  better  frontier,  in  order 
that  siie  can  hold  her  own  in  time  of  war.  Besides,  she  naturally 
will  want  some  of  the  spoils  when  the  Turks  and  Greeks  are 
driven  from  Macedonia. 

The  Roumanian  policy  is  one  of  peace,  combined  with 
finnness.  General  Lahovary  is  not  a  vacillating  statesman. 
His  policy  is  one  of  progress,  as  his  action  towards  Greece 
over  the  ill-treatment  of  Roumanians  in  Macedonia  has  shown. 
It  is  intended,  no  doubt,  that  the  much-vexed  question  shall 
not  be  settled  without  Roumania  having  a  hand  in  it.  As  is 
well  known,  Germany  protects  Roumania's  interests  in  Mace- 
donia. Through  her,  the  Roumanian  schools  have  been  estab- 
lished in  Salonica,  Monastir,  and  other  places ;  but  quite  recently 
the  good  relations  with  Germany  have  been  somewhat  lessened 
owing  to  some  friction  regarding  the  exploitation  of  the 
Roumanian  oil  wells  by  a  German  syndicate.  The  German 
intention  was  to  make  a  trust,  which  Roumania  promptly 
quashed  by  passing  a  special  Act  directed  against  them.  It 
is  a  curious  fact  that  since  this  friction  Germany  has  stood  by 
and  witnessed  the  terrible  atrocities  committed  by  the  Greek 
bands  upon  the  Roumanians  in  Macedonia  without  raising  her 
voice  in  protest.  This,  in  itself,  is  sufficient  to  make  one  doubt 
Germany's  sincerity,  and  certainly  the  eyes  of  the  Roumanians 
are  already  pretty  wide  open  to  the  machinations  of  Berlin 
in  the  Balkans. 

The  conflict  between  Roumania  and  Greece — whatever 
may  be  thought  of  the  very  recent  discovery  of  Roumanians 
in  Macedonia  —  is  quite  simple.  There  are  in  Macedonia 
undoubtedly  a  small  percentage  of  the  population  which 
speaks  Roumanian,  and  who  are  appeahng  to  their  brothers 
for  protection  to  allow  them  to  remain  Roumanians.  In 
face  of  this  appeal  there  are  two  courses  of  action  possible. 
One  is  to  reply,  "  You   are   of  no  importance  ;    you  are  so 


^  X 


w'  o 


^2 


1l^ 


o 


ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS  247 

few  ;  you  are  too  far  away  ;  you  cannot  expect  us  to  embroil 
ourselves  in  foreign  politics  for  your  sake.  And  besides,  our 
ideals  and  our  aspirations  are  different."  The  other  reply  is 
to  adopt  the  course  which,  for  the  past  forty  years,  all  Rou- 
manian Governments  have  adopted,  namely,  to  protect  and 
support  their  subjects  abroad  and  look  after  their  general 
interests.  Roumania  has  already  done  this  in  Macedonia.  She 
obtained  an  irade  from  the  Sultan  recognising  the  Rou- 
manians in  Turkey  as  a  nation  apart,  and  giving  them  the  right 
to  live  as  Roumanians.  And  what  has  been  the  result  ? 
Bands  of  Greek  antartes  at  once  crossed  into  Macedonia  and 
began  to  assassinate  and  torture  every  Roumanian  subject 
they  could  lay  hands  upon.  Is  it  therefore  any  wonder  that 
diplomatic  negotiations  should  be  broken  off  between  Bucharest 
and  Athens  ? 

The  action  of  Roumania  in  pressing  for  the  rights  of 
Roumanians  in  Macedonia  and  in  obtaining  the  irade  has, 
of  course,  been  the  subject  of  much  criticism  in  the  European 
press.  M.  Take  Jonesco  has  been  personally  criticised  as 
having  been  the  prime  mover  of  the  agitation  of  the  past  two 
years.  I  mentioned  it  to  him,  and  he  denied  that  Roumania 
had  any  ulterior  motive  in  Macedonia  save  to  protect  her 
subjects  there  and  to  allow  them  their  own  language,  their 
own  religion,  their  own  education,  and  give  them  freedom 
to  live  as  Roumanians.  It  was  absurd,  he  declared,  to 
suggest  that  Roumania  intended  to  acquire  territory  in 
Macedonia,  or  that  the  Roumanian  Valachs  were  of  only 
recent  discovery.  Their  geographical  position  refuted  the 
first  suggestion ;  and  as  to  the  second,  he  proved  to  me  that 
geographers  and  travellers  had  written  about  them  a  century 
ago,  one  proof  being  that  the  English  traveller  Leake  had 
mentioned  them  in  his  book,  published  in  1814,  saying  that 
the  race  in  question  were  undoubtedly  Roumanians.  Leake 
also  says  :  "  The  Valachs  occupy  the  centre  of  Macedonia 
and  Thessaly,  and  nearly  all  the  Pindre,  forming  three  princi- 
pal groups."  The  Finance  Minister  also  showed  me  the 
evidence  collected  by  the  Roumanian  writer,  Nicholas  Papa- 
hagi,  and   recently  issued  under  the   title  Les  Roumains  dc 


248  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Turquie.  To  nie  lie  proved  most  conclusively  that  the 
Roumanian  contention  was  at  least  well  founded,  and  that  the 
European  critics  were  incorrect  in  supposing  that  Roumania 
wants  territory  in  Macedonia.  She  may  have  her  eye  upon 
that  little  strip  of  Bulgaria  in  order  to  strengthen  her  frontier, 
and,  I  think,  quite  naturally.  She  knows  that  "  a  big  Bulgaria  " 
is  bound  to  arise.  She  can  never  hope  to  be  of  equal  strength 
with  the  Bulgar.  Therefore  she  wants  to  entrench  herself  now 
that  tliere  is  a  forthcoming  opportunity. 

Both  General  Lahovary  and  M.  Take  Jonesco  were 
quite  frank  with  me  in  their  explanation  of  Roumania's 
future  policy.  Roumania  knows  that  nowadays  right,  if 
not  supported  by  force,  is  not  might.  Grand  words,  if  not 
sustained  by  bayonets,  bring  serious  men  into  ridicule. 
During  the  past  two  years  the  Roumanian  army  has  been 
improved,  consolidated,  and  brought  into  perfection.  But 
their  intentions  are  entirely  pacific,  even  though  they  have 
not  hesitated  to  augment  the  war  budget,  and  will  still 
augment  it  if  necessary.  Roumania  intends  to  remain  passive 
in  the  present  Balkan  complications,  but  if  she  finds  it  neces- 
sary for  the  protection  of  her  compatriots  in  Macedonia  she 
will,  like  Bulgaria,  take  arms  against  the  Turk  and  drive  him 
back  into  his  capital,  and  across  into  Asia  Minor — which  is 
surely  the  best  place  for  him. 

I  spoke  with  several  Roumanian  statesmen  upon  the  idea 
of  a  Confederation  of  the  Balkan  States.  Most  of  them 
were  in  accord  that  such  a  thing  was  within  the  bounds  of 
possibility,  but  that  it  was  very  unlikely  that  Roumania 
would  ever  enter  such  a  Confederation.  Roumanians  are 
fond  of  declaring  that  their  country  is  not  a  Balkan  State, 
yet  if  such  Confederation  were  formed  it  seems  difficult  to 
see  how  Roumania  could  hold  aloof. 

It  is  perhaps  premature  to  talk  seriously  of  such  a 
Confederation.  In  the  various  pohtical  quarters  where  I 
referred  to  the  question,  I  found  that  Roumanians  considered 
it  at  present  very  difficult  of  arrangement,  and  very  dubious 
whether  Roumania  could  ever  enter  it.  Events  of  the 
last  thirty  years  have  considerably  altered  the  map  of  Europe, 


Gen.    Jacques    Lahovary,    Roumanian    Minister   of    Foreign    Affairs. 


ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS  249 

and  in  each  case  smaller  States  have  been  amalgamated  into 
kingdoms  and  empires,  such  as  Italy  and  Germany.  The 
saying  of  King  Corvin  that  "  The  kingdom  which  has  not 
one  language  is  a  mad  kingdom  "  is,  in  our  days,  no  longer 
true,  Austria  being  an  example.  The  Serbs,  the  Bulgars, 
the  Greeks,  and  the  Roumanians  are  widely  separated  by 
language  and  by  race.  Yet,  threatened  on  the  one  side  by 
Germany  and  the  other  by  Austria,  they  may,  in  the  near 
future,  find  it  judicious  to  combine,  as  the  only  way  of  pre- 
serving their  territory  and  independence.  The  difficulties  of 
the  problem  are,  however,  many.  The  Greeks  and  Bulgars 
are  at  drawn  swords,  the  Roumanians  and  Greeks  have 
broken  off  diplomatic  negotiations,  and  between  the  Serbs  and 
Bulgars  the  feeling  is  not  really  so  friendly  as  it  should  be. 
At  the  bottom  of  all,  too,  we  find  the  everlasting  question  of 
Macedonia,  which,  in  itself,  must  prevent  a  Confederation. 
But  if  it  is  ever  accomplished,  then  it  will  take  a  high  place 
in  the  general  politics  of  Europe.  Besides,  it  is  improbable 
that  the  Confederation  could  ever  be  formed  without 
objections  being  raised  by  the  Powers,  and  it  is  very  likely 
a  great  war  might  result.  In  Roumania,  therefore,  the  idea 
of  a  Balkan  Confederation  is  not  regarded  with  great  favour. 
The  first  question  of  aU  is  Macedonia — ever  Macedonia,  and 
"  the  terrible  Greek." 

As  regards  the  internal  politics  of  Roumania,  they  are 
not  within  the  scope  of  this  present  volume.  Both  the 
finance  and  commerce  of  the  country  seem  to  be  in  an  excel- 
lent state  notwithstanding  the  recent  dissatisfaction  of  the 
peasantry.  Thanks  to  the  efforts  of  M.  Jonesco,  the  finances 
of  the  country  are  now  in  a  thoroughly  sound  condition, 
and  every  day  sees  greater  prosperity.  As  I  found  in  Servia 
and  in  Bulgaria  openings  for  British  capital,  so  there  is  in 
Roumania  also  many  openings  for  British  industrial  enter- 
prises, especially  weaving.  The  climate  is  not  favourable  for 
cotton-spinning,  but  for  weaving  there  are  many  enterprises 
that  would  pay  good  dividends. 

In  the  petroleum  wells  there  have  been,  since  their  dis- 
covery fifteen  years  ago,  about  150,000,000  francs  of  foreign 


250  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

c.ipilal  iiucslcd.  Circater  part  of  this  is  German,  but  there  is 
also  a  French.  Itahan.  and  Dutch  element  in  the  various 
companies  exploiting  the  wells.  The  Standard  Oil  Company 
of  America  have  about  15,000,000  francs  invested,  but  there 
is  no  British  enterprise.  The  oil  is  refined  in  Roumania, 
but  a  good  deal  of  crude  oil  is  sent  to  France,  as  well  as  great 
quantities  of  benzine. 

From  Turn  Severin,  on  the  western  border  of  the  country, 
tiic  petroleum  zone  can  be  distinctly  traced  at  the  foot  of  the 
Carpathian  Mountains,  skirting  them  in  their  course  through 
the  country  towards  Bukovina  and  Galicia  on  the  north-east. 
Along  the  whole  length  of  this  zone  are  primitive  hand-dug 
wells,  the  workings  prior  to  1873,  when  the  American  oil- 
fields were  discovered.  Since  1895,  however,  a  new  stimulus 
was  given  to  the  industry  by  the  modification  of  the  mining 
laws,  and  from  that  date  the  oil  industry  has  been  gradually 
increasing,  and  only  awaits  the  introduction  of  British  capital 
to  develop  the  enormous  oil-fields. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  Roumanian  petroleum  contains 
14,  15  and  25  per  cent,  more  pure  oil  than  American,  Galician, 
or  Caucasian  oils  respectively.  The  total  production  in  1905 
was  602,000  tons,  or  double  the  production  of  four  years  ago, 
while  the  export  has  nearly  doubled  in  the  past  two  years. 
The  Deutcher  and  Dresden  Banks  and  the  Disconto  Gesellschaft 
have  about  three  million  and  a  half  pounds  invested  in  it, 
while  a  new  company,  called  the  "  Trajan,"  with  a  capital  of 
;f 200,000,  has  recently  been  formed,  of  which  Marmorosch, 
Blank,  &  Co.  of  Bucharest,  the  principal  promoters,  have 
taken  two-fifths.  It  will  absorb  the  "  Helios  "  and  several 
other  minor  companies.  * 

Very  large  areas  of  the  Roumanian  oil-fields  are  the  pro- 
perty of  the  State,  and  have  hitherto  been  unworked,  but 
the  Minister  of  Commerce,  when  I  questioned  him  upon  the 
subject,  informed  me  that  a  law  recently  passed  by  the  Chamber 
provides  for  the  leasing  of  these  lands  to  private  companies, 
though  important  provisos  are  introduced  in  order  to  prevent 
monopolies.  The  Minister  explained  to  me  the  chief  points 
of  the  new  laws,  and  as  they  may  interest  British  capitalists. 


ROUMANIA'S  AIMS  AND  INTENTIONS  251 

I  give  them.  It  appears  that  the  Government  may  now  lease 
for  a  period  of  fifty  years  prospected  or  unprospected  land  of 
maximum  areas  of  100  and  1000  hectares  respectively.  The 
concession  is  granted  to  the  party  offering  the  highest  rent. 
No  more  than  three  lots  can  be  leased  to  one  concessionaire. 
The  capital,  which  must  be  at  least  2,000,000  francs  for  every 
100  hectare  lot  of  prospected  land  or  1000  hectares  of  unpro- 
spected land,  must  be  deposited.  Amalgamation  or  assign- 
ment is  illegal,  and  any  secret  fusion  involves  loss  of  the 
concession.  The  State  reserves  to  itself  the  exclusive  right 
of  working  all  means  of  transport  for  petroleum,  and  will  take 
a  compensation  of  at  least  10  per  cent,  on  the  gross  profit  of  the 
working.  Over  and  above  that  rent,  the  State  participates 
in  the  net  profits  of  the  working  as  follows  :  (i)  one- third 
should  the  net  profit  fluctuate  between  10  and  30  per  cent. ; 
(2)  from  30  and  more  per  cent.,  the  share  of  the  State  is  50 
per  cent,  of  the  net  profits.  The  State  levies  upon  concession- 
aires a  lease-charge  of  20  francs  per  hectare,  and  in  addition 
the  general  taxes  are  to  be  paid.  All  concessions  are  subject 
to  Roumanian  laws  and  regulations,  and  the  State  assumes 
no  responsibility  for  the  profitableness  of  land  leased. 

These  conditions  are  certainly  onerous,  yet  there  is  no 
doubt  a  big  field  for  British  capital  in  Roumanian  oil.  The 
Minister  of  Commerce  impressed  upon  me  this  fact,  and 
declared  that  he  would  give  every  facility  to  intending  con- 
cessionaires, providing  they  were  properly  introduced,  and 
were  persons  who  meant  serious  business. 

In  the  words  of  our  Consul-General  at  Galatz,  "It  is 
not  very  easy  to  account  for  the  apathy  of  British  capitalists 
in  seeking  openings  in  Roumania.  Perhaps  its  position  in 
the  remote  corner  of  Europe,  and  perhaps  the  difficulties  of 
language  have  something  to  do  with  it."  Anyhow,  there  is 
a  big  future  before  the  oil  industry  in  Roumania,  and  it  is 
amazing  that  no  one  has  yet  had  the  courage  to  try  the  business 
under  the  new  conditions.  As  the  Minister  pointed  out, 
"  The  American  Standard  Oil  Company  arc  already  firmly 
established  in  Roumania.  Why  should  not  an  English 
company  also  work  the  fields  ?  " 


252  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

The  fiitnro,  and  not  a  far-distant  one,  will  no  doubt  see 
many  of  the  wells  exploited  by  British  capital. 

In  Roumania  there  are  also  salt  mines  sufficient  to  supply 
the  whole  world.  The  coal  deposits  are  not  numerous,  but 
iron  and  copper  arc  known  to  exist,  though  they  are  not 
yet  exploited. 

I  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  the  commercial  sta- 
tistics for  the  present  year,  not  yet  published,  and  they  showed 
on  the  exports  an  augmentation  on  each  of  the  past  six  years 
of  considerably  over  loo  million  francs.  This,  in  itself,  speaks 
volumes  for  the  prosperity  of  this  the  most  civilised  and  pro- 
gressive nation  of  the  Orient,  which  has,  no  doubt,  a  greater 
and  far  more  brilliant  future  before  it. 


Her    Majesty  the   Queen    of    Roumania. 


CHAPTER    III 
A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANTA 

The  royal  drawing-room — Her  Majesty's  greeting — Her  kind  words  of 
welcome — Roumania  not  in  the  Balkan  States — We  talk  politics — The 
name  of  "  Carmen  Sylva  " — The  Queen's  deep  interest  in  the  blind — 
She  shows  me  some  photographs — Public  interest  in  the  new  institution 
— I  visit  it  next  day. 

I  WAS  standing  one  Sunday  evening  in  the  great  drawing- 
room  of  the  royal  palace  at  Bucharest,  chatting  with 
Madame  Zoe  Bengesco,  lady-in-waiting  to  the  Queen  of 
Roumania. 

Madame  Maurojeni,  grande-mattresse  of  Her  Majesty's 
Court,  had  appointed  my  audience  for  half-past  six,  and  as 
the  bowing  liveried  servants  had  conducted  me  through  the 
great  entrance  and  up  the  large  red-carpeted  horse-shoe 
staircase,  I  was  struck  with  the  old-fashioned  comfort,  com- 
bined with  taste,  everywhere  displayed. 

While  chatting  with  Madame  Bengesco,  who  was  inquiring 
after  some  mutual  friends  in  Belgrade,  I  glanced  around  the 
great  salon  or  salons — for  there  are  two  of  equal  proportions, 
the  one  running  at  right  angles  with  the  other.  Splendid 
old  brocade-covered  furniture,  tables  with  interesting  knick- 
knacks,  a  grand  piano,  the  line  organ  upon  which  Her  Majesty 
so  often  plays,  beautiful  hangings,  magnificent  paintings  upon 
the  walls  and  old  Persian  rugs  upon  the  polished  floor,  all 
combined,  under  the  soft  electric  light,  to  produce  a  harmony 
of  quiet  taste  and  luxury. 

The  salons  were  huge,  high-ceilinged,  and  splendid,  yet 
there  was  an  air  of  homeliness  about  them,  and  indeed  about 

253 


254  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

tfie  whole  pahco,  that  I  have  not  found  in  other  ro3'al  palaces 
of  Europe  wherein  I  have  been  received.  The  great  quiet 
room  bore  traces  of  the  artistic  hand  of  Her  Majesty  herself. 

I  had  asked  for  audience  not  without  some  misgiving, 
for  His  Majesty  the  King  was  lying  very  ill,  and  the  Queen — 
the  "  Carmen  Sylva  "  of  European  literary  fame — was  at  his 
bedside  alwa3'S,  administering  to  her  sick  husband's  wants, 
nursing  him,  and  reading  aloud  to  him  for  hours  each  day. 
For  weeks  she  had  given  audience  to  no  one,  therefore  it 
was  a  pleasant  surprise  when  Madame  Maurojeni  told  me  that 
the  Queen  was  going  to  make  an  exception  in  my  case. 

I  was  chatting  with  Madame  Bengesco,  and  suddenly 
turned  to  fmd  Her  Majesty — a  tall,  line  figure  en  dccolletee, 
a  sweet  smile  of  welcome  upon  her  face — standing  before  me. 
She  wore  a  very  handsome  gown  of  pale  dove-grey  crepe-de- 
chine,  but  no  jewellery  save  a  single  gold  bracelet  and  one 
or  two  very  fine  rings. 

"  So  you  have  come  to  see  our  country,  Mr.  N ?  " 

Her  Majesty  exclaimed  in  English,  smiling  pleasantly,  after 
I  had  made  my  obeisance,  and  she  had  shaken  hands  with 
me.  "  Come,  let  us  sit  over  in  that  corner.  It  is  more 
cosy."  And  she  conducted  me  to  a  luxurious  little  comer  of 
the  salon,  while  the  lady-in-waiting  retired. 

I  began  by  thanking  Her  Majesty  for  giving  me  audience 
at  such  a  time  of  anxiety. 

"  I  have  just  left  the  King  to  come  to  you,"  she  answered. 
"  He  is  very  much  better,  I  am  thankful  to  say,  and  yesterday 
took  a  little  nourishment.  Ah  yes,  it  has  been  a  most 
anxious  time  for  me.  You  will  forgive  me  if  I  am  a  little 
tired,  won't  you  ?  When  I  heard  you  were  in  Bucharest 
I  determined  to  meet  you.  I  have  heard  of  you,  long  ago, 
you  know  !     Now,  tell  me,  what  brings  you  to  Roumania  ?  " 

I  explained  that  my  confidential  mission  was  to  inquire 
into  the  future  of  the  Balkans,  whereupon  she  interrupted 
me  with  that  sweet  laugh  that  is  one  of  her  characteristics, 
saying — 

"Ah,  you  must  never  include  us  in  the  Balkan  States, 
recollect !     We   Roumanians   speak   another   language ;    the 


A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANIA    255 

Danube  separates  us  from  the  Balkans,  and  we  have  nothing 
in  common  with  the  races  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  The 
reason  why  we  are  not  taking  part  in  this  year's  Exhibition 
at  your  Earl's  Court  is  because  they  have  called  it  '  The 
Balkan  Exhibition.'  " 

I  laughingly  promised  to  be  very  careful  on  the  point 
in  future.  As  she  sat  before  me,  the  handsome,  thoughtful 
countenance,  the  white  hair  brushed  straight  back,  and  the 
soft  and  very  becoming  head-dress,  Her  Majesty  was  surely 
the  most  picturesque,  the  most  interesting,  and  perhaps  the 
most  accomplished  and  intelligent  of  the  Queens  of  Europe. 

I  told  her  of  my  journey  through  Northern  Albania, 
in  which  she  was  deeply  interested,  and  asked  me  lots  of 
questions.  Then  I  explained  how  I  was  on  my  way  to 
Constantinople  and  through  Macedonia,  whereupon  she 
made  a  quick  gesture  with  her  hands,  and  exclaimed — 

"  Then  you  are  studying  Macedonia  !  Ah,  what  a  very 
difficult  task  you  have  !  We  have  Roumanians  in  Macedonia, 
as  you  know — and,  poor  people,  they  are  being  treated  very 
badly.  What  the  outcome  of  it  all  is  to  be,  who  can  tell  ? 
There  are  so  many  conflicting  peoples,  so  many  conflicting 
interests,  so  much  jealousy  among  the  Powers." 

"  Ah  !  I  see  that  your  Majesty  takes  an  interest  in  politics !  " 
I  exclaimed. 

"  No.  You  are  mistaken,"  she  answered.  "  I,  of  course, 
know  the  general  outlines  of  most  of  the  subjects,  but  I  am 
a  woman,  and  am  not  expected  to  be  a  politician.  My  sphere 
lies  in  endeavouring  to  do  good  to  the  people,  to  ameliorate 
their  sufferings,  and  to  look  after  my  various  charitable 
institutions." 

Surely  the  name  of  Carmen  Sylva — that  sweet-faced, 
womanly  woman  who,  though  a  queen,  is  so  charming  and  un- 
assuming— is  synonymous  with  all  that  is  good  and  charitable. 
For  Roumania,  she  has  done  what  no  other  woman  has  done. 
Nearly  all  the  charity  of  the  country  has  been  initiated,  and 
partly  supported,  by  her  efforts.  She  lives  her  life  for  the 
poor  and  needy,  and  has  worked  hard  for  years  on  their  behalf. 

In  society  in  Bucharest  I  had  heard  some  talk  of  her  great 


256  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

interest  in  the  blind,  and  that  one  of  her  protc^g^s,  himself  a 
blind  man,  had  invented  a  machine  by  which  the  Braille  type 
for  blind-books  could  be  printed  by  type,  instead  of,  as  hitherto, 
being  embossed  by  hand.  This  subject  I  referred  to,  when  at 
once  her  eyes  shone  with  enthusiasm  and  she  said — 

"  Then  if  you  would  like  to  know  all  about  it,  Mr.  N , 

I'll  tell  you.  It  all  came  about  in  this  way.  Some  years  ago 
I  had,  as  copyist,  a  servant,  quite  a  poor  man.  His  young 
wife  and  his  children  had  died,  and,  poor  fellow,  he  was  in  the 
greatest  depths  of  despair  when  I  took  him  into  my  service. 
So  I  gave  him  very  hard  work  to  do,  in  order  that  his  mind 
should  be  occupied  and  he  should  forget.  Well,  time  went  on, 
and  I  was  always  much  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  blind, 
when  one  day  this  servant  came  to  me  and  told  me  that  a 
certain  bhnd  man  named  Theodorescu,  whom  we  had  rescued, 
was  making  experiments  whereby  the  Braille  books  could  be 
multiplied  by  printing,  and  thus  place  reading  and  instruction 
in  the  hands  of  every  blind  person  in  the  world.  This,  I  saw, 
would  mean  hght  in  the  darkness  of  the  afflicted,  so  we  pro- 
vided the  poor  fellow  with  means  to  perfect  his  invention, 
with  the  result  that  he  produced  a  rough  and  somewhat  incom- 
plete process.  This  was  then  taken  over  by  Mr.  Monske,  an 
old  servant  of  mine,  who  worked  here  in  a  room  in  the  palace 
for  over  a  year  trying  to  perfect  the  machine.  We  made  no 
mention  of  it  to  a  soul,  but  kept  it  a  dead  secret,  until  at  last 
success  came,  and  now  it  is  patented  over  the  whole  world — 
the  first  complete  machine  for  printing  books  for  the  blind  !  " 

"  Have  you  many  blind  in  Roumania  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  say  we  have  twenty  thousand.  But  I  believe  we 
have  many  more,  because  already  in  Bucharest  the  police  have 
discovered  for  me  many  more  than  were  shown  upon  their  sta- 
tistics. But  let  me  tell  you  what  the  outcome  of  this  invention 
is,  and  what  it  will  be,"  the  Queen  went  on.  "  I  have  recently 
started  a  small  blind  institution,  where  the  books  will  eventu- 
ally be  printed.  I  might  tell  you  that  some  time  ago,  before 
the  invention  was  perfected,  we  sent  for  an  American  machine, 
a  cumbersome  affair,  which  cost  three  thousand  francs.  Our 
machine   will   cost  only  three  hundred  francs.     A  Vienna 


H 


A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANIA    257 

firm  wished  to  manufacture  them,  but  I  preferred  that  they 
should  be  made  here,  in  Roumania.  Well,  our  small  institu- 
tion— which  is  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Monske  and  his  wife 
— is  already  in  working  order.  See  " — and  she  rose  and  took 
me  across  the  salon,  where  there  were  a  number  of  photographs 
arranged  in  a  big  frame  surmounted  by  the  royal  crown  and 
cipher,  copies  of  which  are  reproduced  in  these  pages. 

"  Here,  you  see,  are  some  pictures  which  the  photographer 
very  kindly  sent  me.  Aren't  they  interesting  ?  Here  is  the 
first  child  we  found.  He's  an  intelligent  little  chap,  with 
musical  instincts  evidently,  for  I  was  told  a  few  days  ago 
that  he  had  been  found  trying  to  play  four  instruments  at 
once  !  Here  you  see  them  basket-making — here  they  are 
having  a  concert — and  here  is  a  group — and  so  on.  Aren't 
they  interesting  ?  "  she  asked  enthusiastically.  "  And  to 
think  that  they  were  nearly  all  found  as  beggars.  Some  are 
men  who  have  been  in  good  positions.  That  man  was  an 
officer,  for  instance  !  " 

Then  Her  Majesty  went  back  to  her  seat,  and  I  reseated 
myself  with  her. 

"  The  present  institution  is  only  the  beginning,"  she  said. 
"  I  have  a  scheme  for  establishing  a  city  for  the  blind — a  model 
town,  to  which  the  blind  of  every  nation  may  come  and  work, 
and  support  themselves.  Now  I  will  tell  you  something 
about  it.  When  it  was  known  that  I  intended  to  do  this, 
people  came  forward  on  every  hand  to  give  me  assistance. 
One  gentleman  gave  me  100,000  francs,  while  a  lady  has  given 
me  the  site  for  the  city  near  Sinaia,  a  beautiful  place  where, 
close  by,  we  have  a  castle.  The  site  is  an  ideal  one,  and  very 
shortly  we  shall  lay  it  out  with  model  houses  built  in  modern 
style,  in  which  two  families  can  live.  We  do  not  wish  to 
separate  a  blind  man  from  his  family,  but  the  kitchens  will  be 
in  common,  so  that  the  wife  may  be  relieved  of  much  of  her 
household  duties  and  afforded  time  to  work  and  earn  money." 

"  We  have  several  model  villages  in  England,  your  Majesty," 
I  remarked.     "  The  one  called  Port  Sunlight  might  interest 
you.     I  could  perhaps  get  photographs  from  Mr.  Lever,  who 
built  it." 
17 


258  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  Oh.  do.  It  would  be  so  kind  of  you.  Will  you  ask  him  ?  " 
she  said.  "  I  might  get  some  excellent  ideas  from  Mr.  Lever's 
scheme.  Of  course  we  must  have  a  working  men's  club,  a 
concert  hall,  a  church,  and  recreation  room." 

"  And  what  does  your  Majesty  call  your  present  institu- 
tion ?  " 

"  In  Roumanian  it  is  '  The  Hearth  of  Light,'  but  in  English 
it  would  be  better  translated  as  '  The  Home  of  Light.'  Would 
you  like  to  visit  it  ?  " 

"  I  should  be  delighted,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  i\Ionske  shall  call  for  you  ana  show  you  everything. 
Remember  that  the  people  are  not  paupers.  From  the  first 
day  they  come  to  us  they  receive  one  franc  a  day,  which  is 
increased  according  to  the  skill  they  show  in  chair-making, 
basket-making,  rope-making,  and  other  such  industries.  As 
regards  the  blind  city  scheme,  Mrs.  Fern,  wife  of  a  former 
American  Minister  here,  is  starting  for  the  United  States  in 
a  few  days,  and  is  taking  one  of  the  new  machines  with  her, 
and  is  going  to  hold  conferences  and  explain  the  scheme  in 
the  principal  cities  of  America.  You  see  now,  for  the  first 
time,  education  is  fully  open  to  the  blind.  The  books  will 
be  printed  as  easily  as  other  books,  and  will  be  within  the 
reach  of  all.  It  is  a  splendid  thing — and  I  am  happy  to  say 
that  I  am  receiving  donations  from  every  side.  I  have 
worked  for  years,  and  now  the  people  are,  I  am  gratified  to 
think,  appreciating  my  efforts  in  the  cause  of  humanity. 
Yesterday  Monske  came  to  me  and  showed  me  500  francs  he 
had  that  day  received.  I  held  up  notes  for  7000  francs,  which 
I  had  also  received.  One  firm  has  sent  me  a  magnificent 
organ,  and  I  have  even  poor  families  subscribing  a  franc  a 
month  towards  the  blind.  Does  not  that  show  that  in  the 
hearts  of  the  people  there  is  a  corner  for  the  poor  afflicted  ? 
But  remember  that  the  blind  colony  is  to  be  open  to  all 
nationalities.  It  is  a  big  undertaking,  I  admit ;  for  I  have 
in  Roumania  twenty  thousand  people  and  their  families. 
Yet  the  scheme  wiU  work,  I  am  confident.  And  while  they 
are  now  in  penury,  they  will  soon  be  educated,  and  be  able  to 
place  themselves,  by  their  work,  in  a  position  of  independence." 


A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANIA    259 

For  over  an  hour  we  chatted  together,  until,  after  promising 
to  send  me  a  signed  photograph  of  herself  and  of  the  King, 
she  rose,  saying — 

"  I  am  so  delighted  to  have  had  a  chat  with  you,  Mr. 

N .     I  will  send   Mr.   Monske    to   you   in  the  morning. 

But  the  King  is  alone,  and  will  want  me  to  read  again  to 
him,  so  I  must  go."  And  Her  Majesty,  smiling  graciously, 
gave  me  her  hand,  saying,  "  Au  revoir." 

I  bowed  over  it,  thanked  her  for  the  audience,  and  retired, 
charmed  by  her  marvellous  personality,  her  sweet  silver 
voice,  her  kindly  manner,  and  her  queenly  bearing,  all  of 
which  combined  to  create  an  impression  which  will  always 
remain  with  me — an  hour  spent  with  a  woman  who  is  unique 
in  the  whole  world. 

Next  day  Her  Majesty  sent  me  the  autographed  photo- 
graph which  appears  on  another  page,  together  with  a  very 
charming  note  of  thanks  for  a  slight  service  I  had  been  able 
to  render  her. 

One  morning  a  few  days  later,  by  the  Queen's  order, 
I  was  shown  over  her  Blind  Institute,  which  is  called  the 
"Vatra  Luminoasa  Regina  Elizaveta,"  and  is  in  the  Boule- 
vardul  Carol,  in  Bucharest. 

A  large  comfortable  house,  standing  back  from  the  road 
in  its  own  grounds,  it  is  the  first  institution  to  be  founded 
under  the  new  scheme,  and  the  nucleus  of  what  will  most 
certainly  become  a  great  and  important  charitable  work.  Mr. 
Monske,  the  Director,  a  pleasant-faced,  youngish  man,  with  a 
bright,  open  expression,  received  me,  in  the  business-like 
office,  where  a  blind  typist  was  busy  with  correspondence, 
using  a  Remington  machine  with  celluloid  caps  on  each  third 
key. 

"  Ah  !  "  exclaimed  the  poor  afflicted  typist  in  French, 
"  you  do  not  know  what  this  place  means  to  us  !  Take  myself, 
for  example.  I  was  a  clerk  in  an  office  here,  in  Bucharest, 
and  eight  years  ago  I  went  totally  blind.  My  life  after  my 
misfortune  was  one  of  misery.  I  was  in  the  depths  of  despair, 
for  the  blind  are  not  wanted  on  the  earth.  And  then  came 
the  good  Queen,  and  saved  me.     My  story  is  the  same  as  all 


26o  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

of  us  here — lifted  out  of  despair  and  placed  in  a  position  of 
comfort  and  independence,  for  all  of  us  are  paid  for  our  work." 

The  poor  clerk  seemed  thankful  from  the  very  bottom 
of  his  heart.  He  was  full  of  praise  of  Her  Majesty's  great 
goodness,  and  the  kindness  of  the  private  persons  helping 
her.  Of  Mr.  ]\Ionske  he  sang  praises,  and  then  when  he 
was  told  who  and  what  I  was,  he  asked  me  in  the  name  of 
his  fellow-inmates  of  the  Institute  to  tell  the  English  what 
a  grand  and  noble  work  "  Carmen  Sylva  "  was  doing. 

Mr.  Monske  then  took  me  to  the  music-room,  a  large  bright 
apartment  with  a  fine  organ, — the  gift  of  a  blind  Austrian 
gentleman, — two  pianos,  and  other  musical  instruments.  On 
the  walls  were  the  portraits  of  the  King  and  Queen,  while  the 
floor  was  of  polished  oak.  Here,  one  afternoon  each  week, 
Her  Majesty  comes,  accompanied  by  her  ladies-in-waiting  and 
some  friends,  and  gives  the  blind  inmates  and  their  families 
a  musical  entertainment.  Thus  the  Queen  keeps  the  Institute 
under  her  own  personal  supervision. 

In  another  room — a  play-room — I  saw  a  homely-looking 
woman  playing  with  a  little  blind  child  of  four  years,  while 
the  oldest  inmate  I  saw  was  about  sixty.  The  dormitories 
for  the  thirty-two  inmates  that  were  there  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  were  scrupulously  clean  and  very  airy.  Each  man  had 
his  bed,  his  washstand,  his  lock-up  wardrobe,  while  the  floors 
everywhere  were  covered  with  linoleum. 

I  was  taken  to  a  long  new  building,  just  erected  in  the 
grounds,  which  is  being  fitted  as  a  rope-works.  There  is  room 
for  thirty  men  to  work  with  ease.  Close  beside  it  is  about 
to  be  erected  a  private  chapel,  given  by  a  gentleman  in 
Bucharest,  while  on  the  other  side  of  the  house  I  was  shown 
the  chair-making  workshops,  the  overseer  of  which  was  a  blind 
man  himself.  Here,  while  some  were  expert  menders  of  cane 
chairs,  others  were  being  taught  the  trade.  The  Director 
explained  that  he  had  just  signed  a  big  contract  with  a  firm 
of  chair-makers,  and  showed  me  the  hundreds  upon  hundreds 
of  frames  ready  to  go  into  the  hands  of  the  blind. 

The  last  department  I  was  shown  was  that  in  which  the 
new  Theodorescu  machine  was  being  used  to  emboss  blind- 


A  CHAT  WITH  THE  QUEEN  OF  ROUMANIA    261 

books.  It  is  an  interesting  and  ingenious  method  by  which 
the  type,  consisting  of  small  blunt  pins,  is  set  in  a  brass  frame 
very  similar  to  ordinary  t5^e,  and  is  set  indeed  by  the  blind 
themselves.  Then,  when  a  frame  is  full,  it  is  put  into  a  special 
press,  and  any  number  of  impressions  can  be  taken  from  the 
embossing-pins. 

Mr.  Monske  first  reduces  the  printed  book  to  embossed 
Braille  characters,  and  these  are  set  up  by  the  blind  compositors, 
and  impressions  taken  very  rapidly.  I  was  shown  bulky 
volumes  of  well-known  works  that  have  already  been  printed 
in  this  manner  and  now,  for  the  first  time,  given  to  the  blind. 
Recently  Mr.  Monske  made  a  tour  to  the  various  blind  institu- 
tions in  France,  Austria,  and  Germany,  and  without  any  pro- 
spectus, sold  140  of  the  machines.  It  certainly  is  a  simple  but 
most  ingenious  invention,  which  in  the  future  will  bring  great 
profits  to  the  Queen's  blind  colony. 

As  regards  private  subscriptions,  I  was  shown  the  list. 
They  range  from  50  centimes  to  £4000.  On  the  day  previous 
to  my  visit  it  was  shown  by  the  list  that  Her  Majesty  had 
received  over  5000  francs  in  donations.  Funds  are  coming  in,  it 
is  true,  but  for  the  development  of  the  scheme  a  large  sum  is 
required.  It  is  for  that  reason  that  Her  Majesty  is  making  an 
earnest  appeal  all  over  the  world  to  those  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  the  blind.  Her  great  institution — of  which  this  is 
only  the  nucleus — is  an  international  one,  and  men  and  their 
families  of  all  creeds  and  nationalities  are  eligible.  Her 
Majesty  has  asked  me  to  say  that  subscriptions,  however 
small,  can  be  sent  either  to  Madame  Zoe  Bengesco,  Dame 
d'Honneur  to  the  Queen  of  Roumania,  Bucharest,  or  to  Mr. 
R.  Monske,  Director  "  Vatra  Luminoasa  Regina  Elizaveta," 
Boulevardul  Carol  31,  Bucharest,  and  would  be  duly  acknow- 
ledged. 


TURKEY 


263 


His    Excellency    Tewfik    Pasha. 
Minister  [of   Foreign    Affairs    of   the    Imperial    Ottoman    Empire. 


CHAPTER    I 
THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON 

The  Orient  Express  again — On  the  Black  Sea  to  Constantinople — A  dis- 
enchantment— My  dragoman — How  to  bribe  the  Customs  officers — Mud 
and  dogs — A  city  of  spies — Feebleness  of  British  pohcy  at  the  Porte — 
Turkish  adoration  of  Germany — The  basis  of  my  confidential  inquiries. 

FROM  Bucharest  to  Constantinople  is  not  at  all  an  un- 
pleasant journey. 

The  Orient  Express  runs  twice  a  week  to  Constantza, 
the  Roumanian  port  on  the  Black  Sea,  where  there  is  a  fine 
and  comfortable  passenger-steamer  service  direct  to  Constan- 
tinople. 

At  Bucharest  Station  I  was  seen  off  by  several  kind  friends, 
with  many  parting  injunctions  to  "  take  care  of  myself  "  in 
Macedonia,  and  it  was  not  without  regret  that  I  left  the  gay 
little  Roumanian  capital,  where  I  had  received  so  much 
hospitality,  from  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  down  to  some  of 
the  humblest  of  her  subjects. 

The  "  Orient,"  on  the  Constantza  line,  is  not  so  well 
fitted,  nor  is  the  food  so  good,  as  upon  the  direct  line  from 
Paris  to  Constantinople  by  way  of  Belgrade  and  Sofia. 

The  whole  train  was  shabby,  dusty,  and  over-heated, 
and  the  dinner,  instead  of  the  usual  table  d'hote,  was  d  la  carte. 
The  only  item  on  the  bill  of  fare,  however,  proved  to  be  beef- 
steak. The  small  piece  cooked  for  me  was  fit  only  for  a  dog, 
and  served  on  a  dirty  tablecloth  ;  therefore  I  was  compelled 
to  make  my  dinner  off  stale  bread  and  soapy  cheese.  And 
this  on  a  train  de  luxe — and  one  of  the  principal  European 
Expresses  ! 

2«S 


266  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

The  Compagnie  Internationale  des  Wagons-Lits  et  Grand 
Express  Europeenes  are  not  very  considerate  towards  travel- 
lers to  the  East.  There  is  neither  competition  in  sleeping 
accommodation  nor  buffets,  therefore  the  rolling-stock  is  often 
old-fashioned  and  dirty,  and  the  food  leaves  very  much  to  be 
desired.  Surely  upon  a  jouniey  of  three  or  four  days,  the 
maximum  degree  of  comfort  should  be  secured  !  Why  should 
the  traveller  who  spends  one  night  between  Calais  and  Nice 
be  better  pro\'ided  for  than  he  who  goes  East  from  Ostend 
to  Constantinople — a  four  days'  journey  ? 

In  the  "  Orient,"  the  old-fashioned  coal-fire  heating  in 
every  carriage  is  still  in  vogue,  and  consequently  the  person 
who  is  unfortunate  enough  to  have  a  berth  near  the  stove 
is  half  roasted,  while  he  who  is  at  the  farther  end  is  half 
frozen.  The  traveller  who  goes  East  would  certainly  welcome 
the  up-to-date  -wagons-lits  of  the  Mediterranean  or  Carlsbad 
Expresses. 

I  travelled  in  the  "  Orient  "  from  Paris  to  Vienna,  from 
Belgrade  to  Sofia,  from  Bucharest  to  Constantza,  and  from 
Nisch  in  Servia  to  Paris,  and  on  each  of  the  trains  were  the 
same  defects  in  sleeping  comfort,  and  often  in  food. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Company  will  shortly  remedy 
this,  for  on  some  of  their  routes,  notably  Calais-Paris,  or 
Paris-Marseilles,  the  food  is  all  that  can  be  desired. 

The  Express,  after  passing  the  wonderful  bridge  over 
the  Danube,  arrives  at  the  quay  at  Constantza,  or  Kustendji, 
as  is  its  local  name,  at  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  where  the 
mails  from  London  and  Vienna  are  quickly  transferred  on 
board,  and  we  are  soon  under  steam,  with  the  flashing  light 
of  Cape  Tusla  fast  disappearing  at  the  stern. 

The  steamer  King  Charles  makes  the  voyage  from 
Constantza  to  Alexandria,  calling  at  Constantinople,  and  is  a 
very  comfortable  and  up-to-date  boat,  with  excellent  state- 
rooms and  a  fine  saloon,  and  ladies'  drawing-room.  Officers 
and  men  are  Roumanians,  but  as  the  head  steward  speaks 
French  there  is  no  difficulty.  An  excellent  supper  at  midnight, 
with  Roumanian  white  wine,  caviare,  and  a  glass  of  slivovitza 
to  follow,  and  then  a  stroll  on  the  deck  in  the  white  moonlight. 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON  267 

Past  the  Kamara  and  Shabaloh  lights,  we  at  last  see 
the  broad  rays  from  the  Kali  Akra,  and  then  we  head  straight 
out  upon  the  lonely  sea  for  the  Bosphorus.  One  by  one,  the 
tired  travellers,  some  of  them  from  Ostend,  Berlin,  or  Peters- 
burg, make  for  their  berths,  and  finding  myself  alone,  I  turn 
into  the  comfortable  deck  cabin  kindly  secured  for  me  by 
telegram  by  my  friend  the  Minister  of  Finance  in  Bucharest. 

Rising  early,  I  was  already  out  on  deck  and  taking 
photographs  as  we  passed  the  two  Turkish  forts,  Kilia  and 
Poiraz,  at  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  Bosphorus.  And  after 
stopping  to  take  up  our  pilot,  we  crept  slowly  up  the  narrow 
channel  amid  delightful  scenery,  some  of  which  I  photo- 
graphed and  have  reproduced  in  these  pages,  past  the  pretty 
summer  resort  of  Therapia  and  Anatoli  Hissar,  until  we 
approached  the  capital  of  Turkey,  with  her  hundred  domes 
and  minarets,  looking  almost  like  a  fairy  city  against  the 
blue  cloudless  sky  as  we  approached. 

But  what  a  disenchantment  on  landing !  That  terrible 
rabble  at  Galata  in  the  midst  of  dirt  and  squalor,  of  shout- 
ing touts,  scrambling  porters,  and  scavenger  dogs,  is  a  thing 
to  be  ever  remembered.  Fortunately,  I  had  a  Greek  drago- 
man, one  Demosthenes  Cambothecras,  to  meet  me.  I  can 
recommend  him  as  an  excellent  and  honest  fellow,  and  to  the 
intending  traveller  I  may  say  that  a  letter  addressed  to  the 
Pera  Palace  Hotel  will  always  find  him. 

He  stood  on  the  quay  amid  the  thousand  off-scum  of 
Constantinople,  and  shouted  my  name.  I  shouted  back,  and 
ten  minutes  later  we  met.  When  I  gave  him  over  my  baggage 
ticket,  he  said — 

"  The  customs  here,  m'sieur,  are  difficult.  But,  with 
your  permission,  I  will  give  the  officer  five  francs." 

I  assented  readily,  and  my  luggage  was  passed  without 
inquiry,  while  that  of  a  bespectacled  Hungarian  next  me 
was  examined  piece  by  piece,  greatly  to  the  disgust  and  con- 
sternation of  his  obese  wife. 

I  saw  no  money  pass  in  the  shabby,  shed-like  Custom 
House,  but  he  told  me  that  the  chief  of  the  Customs 
employed  an  agent  out  in  the  street  to  receive  his  bribes  ! 


268  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

So  niucli  for  tlie  morality  of  the  Custom  dues  in  Turke3^ 
In  that  very  same  week  the  British  Ambassador  had  made 
protest  to  the  Subhme  Porte  regarding  the  same  thing,  but 
was  promptly  "  snuffed  out  "  by  the  all-influential  Power, 
Cxexman}'. 

Germany  and  German  interests  are  always  paramount  in 
Turkey.  If  you  are  an  Englishman,  you  may  take  a  back 
seat  and  endure  all  your  passport  worries,  but  the  German  is, 
by  the  Turk,  supposed  to  be  his  friend.  German  diplomacy 
is  clever,  wary,  and  unscrupulous,  and  in  the  Sultan's  capital 
you  are  treated  with  deference  if  you  are  a  subject  of  the 
Kaiser  William. 

And  how  strange  and  ridiculous  it  all  is  !  Germany  intends 
ere  long  to  wipe  Turkey  off  the  face  of  Europe — only  Turkey 
cannot  see  it.  She  is  fascinated  and  spellbound  by  German 
cringing  and  German  goodwill,  all  pretence,  and  all  directed 
towards  the  one  end  of  traitorous  abandonment. 

Great  Britain,  notwithstanding  her  fine  Embassy,  is  entirely 
eclipsed  by  the  big  white  palace  overlooking  the  Bosphorus 
which  houses  the  German  Ambassador.  Tewfik  Pasha,  the 
Sultan's  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  lives  beneath  its  shadow, 
and  the  Turks  look  upon  Germany  as  their  natural  protector 
and  friend.  A  British  protest  to  the  Porte  passes  unheeded, 
while  a  German  protest  receives  attention  and  adjustment 
the  very  next  day.  A  German  diplomatist  at  the  Sublime 
Porte  told  me  this  with  a  roar  of  laughter,  adding — 

"  We  are  the  only  diplomatists  here.  We  are  listened 
to.     You  are  merely  tolerated." 

And  verily  he  spoke  a  great  truth. 

Our  big  grey  Embassy  in  Pera,  with  its  gorgeous  Monte- 
negrin kavass,  may  be  extremely  ornamental  and  impressive, 
but  nowadays  of  little  use.  The  British  taxpayer  is  paying 
for  the  glorification  of  Great  Britain  without  one  single  farthing's 
worth  of  benefit.  The  Turkish  Government — clever  as  they 
are — laugh  in  the  face  of  our  persevering  and  well-meaning 
Ambassador.  They  give  him,  or  his  representative,  cups  of 
rather  badly-made  coffee  in  Tewfik 's  shabby  anteroom  at  the 
Sublime  Porte,  and  put  their  fingers  to  their  noses  behind  his 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON  269 

back.  It  is  not  the  fault  of  our  Ambassador,  or  of  his  staff. 
All  of  them  are  practised  diplomatists,  who  endeavour  to  their 
utmost  to  do  their  duty  to  King  and  Country,  and  to  protect 
British  interests  in  the  East.  The  fault  lies  in  the  timid  policy 
and  shrinking  pohteness  adopted  by  our  present  Government. 
The  late  lamented  Lord  SaHsbury,  or  Lord  Beaconsfield,  would 
never  for  a  moment  have  submitted  to  the  open  rebuffs  which 
Great  Britain  daily  meets  with  nowadays  at  Constantinople. 

The  Turk  knows  that  Germany  is  behind  him,  and  is  there- 
fore defiant.     So  British  diplomacy  is  beaten  every  time. 

Constantinople  swarms  with  spies.  If  you  have  ever 
been  there,  and  landed  from  a  steamer,  you  will  recollect  that 
a  crowd  of  unwashed  porters  swarm  on  board  directly  the  ship 
is  made  fast.  Every  man  of  that  ragged  rabble  is  a  spy.  He 
is  only  allowed  on  board  on  condition  that  he  gives  informa- 
tion to  the  Custom  officers  ashore  as  to  any  concealment  of 
revolvers,  books,  or  prohibited  articles.  Respectable  dragomans 
are  constantly  asked  to  assist  in  this,  and  offered  monetary 
reward,  as  well  as  a  permit  to  board  the  ship,  but  they  refuse 
— and  leave  the  espionage  to  the  rabble. 

And  so  it  is  all  through  the  Turkish  capital.  Spies  are 
everywhere — they  haunt  one  in  all  the  hotels,  even  in  the 
much-advertised  Pera  Palace — and  every  movement  of  the 
stranger  is  noted.  If  you  happen  to  be  a  German  and  have 
shown  your  passport  in  the  Custom  House,  then  you  go  hither 
and  thither  and  do  whatever  you  like.  But  if  you  are  of  any 
other  nationality  you  will  be  suspected  and  haunted  by  all 
sorts  and  conditions  of  secret  agents,  until  you  kick  the  mud 
of  Constantinople  off  your  boots. 

I  have  been  more  than  once  in  the  Sultan's  capital,  and  on 
each  occasion,  on  entering  it,  have  been  seized  with  a  fit  of 
depression,  which  has  only  been  removed  when  I  have  got 
my  passport  vised  by  the  British  Consul-General,  and  also 
by  the  Turkish  police,  preliminary  to  leaving  the  place. 

The  squalor  in  Galata,  in  Stamboul,  and  even  in  aristo- 
cratic Pera,  sickens  one.  The  streets,  unswept  for  ages,  are 
an  inch  deep  in  slimy  mud,  upon  which  one  sUdes  and  slips  at 
every  step,  and  the  grey,  wolf-like  dogs,  held  sacred  by  every 


270  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

Turk,  prowl  about  in  hordes,  each  in  their  own  quarter,  living 
in  the  streets  and  sleeping  in  doorways. 

Constantinople,  with  the  most  picturesque  and  beautiful 
position  in  all  the  world,  is  the  most  filthy  and  uncomfortable 
of  all  cities.  With  the  exception  of  the  Grande  Rue,  at  Pera, 
there  is  scarcely  a  single  decent  European  business  street. 
Every  thoroughfare  is  crowded  to  excess  by  a  motley  throng 
of  Mohammedans,  both  European  and  Asiatic,  and  every  form 
of  costume  and  physiognomy,  from  the  Tartar  to  the  Syrian, 
may  be  seen. 

The  pilgrimages  were  leaving  for  Mecca  while  I  was  there, 
and  the  whole  city  was  filled  with  the  Faithful  from  every 
part  of  the  great  Moslem  world.  The  bridge  at  Galata  was 
daily  a  perfect  panorama  of  costume  as  the  pilgrims  assembled 
to  embark. 

Though  I  spent  a  little  time  in  the  great  Bazaar — which 
is  always  attractive  to  the  traveller  from  the  West — and  re- 
visited Saint  Sophia  and  other  of  the  big  mosques,  my  days  in 
Constantinople  were  mostly  occupied  in  having  interesting 
chats  with  the  heads  of  the  Turkish  Government. 

I  carried  letters  of  introduction  to  His  Excellency  Tewfik 
Pasha,  the  Sultan's  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs ;  to  the  Grand 
Vizier  of  the  Sultan ;  to  d' Aristarchi  Bey,  the  Grand  Logothete  ; 
to  His  Excellency  Noury  Pasha,  Under-State  Secretary  for 
Foreign  Affairs ;  to  the  British  Charge  d'Affaires,  Mr.  Geo. 
H.  Barclay — the  Ambassador  being  absent  on  leave ;  to  His 
Excellency  Monsieur  George  Simitch,  the  Servian  Minister ;  to 
M.  Dimetri  Vlastari,  the  well-known  banker ;  to  Mehemed  Ali 
Pasha ;  to  Riza  Pasha,  Minister  of  War  ;  and  to  many  other  of 
the  leading  people  in  the  Turkish  capital. 

Thus  I  was  enabled  to  go  thoroughly  into  the  present 
state  of  affairs.  I  was  granted  an  audience  of  His  Majesty 
the  Sultan,  as  well  as  by  the  Grand  Vizier,  by  Tewfik  Pasha, 
the  Khardjie-Naziri,  and  had  many  interviews  with  the 
persons  named  above. 

My  inquiries  were  mainly  directed  to  ascertaining — first, 
what  attitude  Turkey  was  assuming  towards  Macedonia ; 
secondly,  whether  the  Turks  were  alive  to  the  firm  intention 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON  271 

of  Bulgaria  for  the  protection  of  her  subjects,  and  in  what 
manner  they  viewed  the  prospect  of  hostilities ;  thirdly, 
the  truth  about  the  Macedonian  reforms ;  fourthly,  the 
extent  of  German  intrigue  in  Constantinople  ;  fifthly,  the 
Turkish  policy  towards  Austria ;  and  sixthly,  the  policy 
towards  Great  Britain. 

I  went  to  the  Porte  in  order  to  penetrate  the  veil  of 
mystery  surrounding  diplomacy  there,  and  to  get  at  the  true 
state  of  affairs.  The  task  was  very  difficult,  for  in  the  East 
one  is  hardly  ever  told  the  real  facts  about  anything.  Never- 
theless, unique  opportunities  were  afforded  me  to  obtain 
knowledge  by  the  absolute  facts  and  the  future  aims  of  both 
Turkey  and  Germany — opportunities  of  which,  as  will  be  shown 
in  the  following  pages,  I  was  not  slow  in  taking  advantage. 

In  view  of  the  present  situation  in  Turkey,  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  "  Ottoman  Committee  of  Union  and  Progress," 
which  was  found  posted  upon  all  the  walls  of  the  Pera  quarter 
of  Constantinople  on  January  i  of  this  present  year,  is  of 
great  interest  in  showing  the  present  state  of  public  feeling  in 
the  Turkish  capital. 

This  proclamation,  which  was  issued  by  a  very  strong  and 
formidable  party  in  Turkey,  began  by  stating  that  Abdul 
Hamid,  after  thirty  years  of  impunity,  was  now  on  the  verge 
of  death.  The  fact  that  now  and  then  he  gives  audience  of  a 
few  minutes'  duration  to  an  Ambassador,  or  that  at  the  weekly 
Selamlik  he  drives  to  the  mosque,  a  few  yards  from  his  palace, 
proves  nothing.  The  Sultan  Mahmud  fell  dead  from  his 
horse,  returning  from  the  Selamlik  ;  while  the  Sultan  Medjid 
was  on  his  feet  up  to  the  very  last.  In  reality  Abdul  Hamid, 
knowing  the  profound  effect  which  his  failure  to  attend  the 
Selamlik  would  have  upon  the  people,  is  expending  all  the 
energies  that  remain  to  him  in  fulfilling  this  religious  observ- 
ance and  in  granting  an  occasional  interview  to  a  foreign 
Ambassador. 

The  proclamation  proceeded  : — 

"  During  the  thirty  years  of  his  reign  Abdul  Hamid  has 
brought  ruin  on  the  land  ;  one  half  of  our  patrimony  he 


a72  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

has  delivered  to  the  enemy  ;  he  has  destroyed  our  fleet, 
disorganised  our  army  ;  he  has  reduced  the  people  to 
misery  ;  he  has  annihilated  our  governmental  system,  and 
has  left  nothing  to  the  civil  organisation  or  the  civilisation 
of  the  past.  He  has  concentrated  the  whole  government 
into  his  own  hands,  and  has  dismissed  all  his  tried  and 
experienced  Ministers,  transferring  the  reins  of  office  to 
self-seekers  and  traitors  willing  to  become  his  tools." 

Grave  troubles  are  predicted  after  his  death,  and  the 
Committee  urges  the  population  of  the  Empire,  Christian 
and  Mussulman,  to  be  on  their  guard  and  to  consider  seriously 
the  following  facts  : — 

"  (i)  Abdul  Hamid  and  his  accomplices  are  conspiring 
to  hand  over  the  sovereignty  and  the  Caliphate  to  his 
fourth  son,  the  youth,  Burhaneddin,  in  defiance  of  the 
tradition  and  the  civil  and  religious  law  of  the  Empire. 
The  success  of  this  stratagem  would  be  a  mortal  blow 
to  the  aspirations  of  the  nation. 

"  (2)  To  prevent  the  enemies  of  the  country  from  pro- 
voking disorders  in  order  to  bring  about  foreign  inter- 
vention, guarantees  must  be  given  to  the  Christian 
populations  and,  if  necessary,  written  assurances  to  the 
Embassies. 

"  (3)  The  happiness  and  the  future  of  the  country 
being  dependent  upon  the  suppression  of  the  despotic 
regime  and  the  enforcing  of  the  Constitution,  which  was 
recognised  in  1876  as  an  inalienable  right  of  the  nation, 
and  after  being  two  years  in  operation  was  perfidiously 
abrogated  by  Abdul  Hamid,  our  fellow-countrymen. 
Christian  and  Mussulman,  must  of  one  accord  exact  the 
application  of  that  Constitution,  which  will  restore  to  the 
country  its  vitality  and  safeguard  the  liberties  of  the  people. 
United  in  heart  and  mind,  the  Ulemas,  the  notables 
of  the  capital  and  the  provinces,  must,  through  the  inter- 
mediary of  the  Grand  Vizier  and  the  Valis,  demand  of  the 
new  Sultan  that  he  proclaim  and  bring  into  force  without 
delay  the  clauses  of  the  Constitution. 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  WANING  MOON  273 

"  (4)  The  duty  of  preserving  the  essential  rights  of 
the  nation  belongs,  above  all,  to  the  members  of  the  guild 
of  the  Ulemas  and  to  the  high  civil  and  military  officials  ; 
the  ceremony  of  the  Biat,  when  the  chosen  of  the  people 
demonstrate  the  popular  sovereignty  by  recognising  and 
accepting  the  new  Sultan,  is  the  most  propitious  occasion 
for  the  exercise  of  that  duty.  It  is  an  obligation  that 
lies  upon  every  Turkish  subject  to  exact  a  pledge  from 
the  delegate  he  sends  up  to  do  his  duty  on  that  occasion." 

The  Manifesto  ended  with  an  appeal  to  the  Christian  and 
non-Christian  populations  to  prepare  for  the  coming  crisis. 


18 


CHAPTER    II 
IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH 

His  Excellency  Noury  Pasha — A  quiet  chat  at  his  home — Turkish  view  of 
European  criticism — The  Turk  misunderstood — The  massacres  in 
Macedonia — My  visit  to  the  Sublime  Porte — His  Excellency  Tewfik 
Pasha  tells  me  the  truth — A  great  diplomatist — The  fashion  to  denounce 
Turkey — The  attitude  of  the  Porte  towards  Bulgaria — Significant 
words. 

THE  first  visit  I  paid  was  to  His  Excellency  Mehmed 
Noury  Pasha,  Secretary-General  of  the  Imperial  Ministry 
of  Foreign  Affairs,  who  is  one  of  the  most  advanced  and  pro- 
gressive of  Turks,  and  who,  next  to  Tewfik  Pasha,  the  Sultan's 
Foreign  Minister,  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  men  in  Turkey. 

As  such,  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  that  he  was  born 
in  Constantinople,  and  having  made  his  early  studies  in  that 
city,  was  sent  by  the  Sultan  to  Paris,  where  he  underwent 
a  long  course  of  training,  returning  to  occupy  the  post  of 
Inspector  in  the  Ministry  of  Public  Works.  Afterwards,  he 
became  Director-General,  and  subsequently  his  perfect 
knowledge  of  French  brought  him  again  before  the  notice  of 
the  Sultan,  who  appointed  him  to  the  office  of  Secretary- 
General  in  the  Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs,  a  position  which 
he  has  held  for  the  past  eighteen  years. 

Through  his  hands  all  diplomatic  correspondence  passes, 
and  to  him  is  mainly  due  the  clever  and  tactful  diplomacy 
of  the  Porte.     His  is,  indeed,  a  delicate  and  laborious  task. 

He  is  a  slim,  fair-bearded,  middle-aged  man  of  very  charm- 
ing manner,  and  a  delightful  companion ;  shrewd,  full  of  tact 
and  clear  discernment.    Times  without  number  he  has  given 

274 


His    Excellency    Noury    Pasha. 


IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH  275 

proof  of  assiduous  work  for  his  country's  advancement,  and 
no  one  knows  better  than  he  the  defects  of  Turkish  rule. 

By  no  means  bigoted,  he  is,  on  the  contrary,  broad-minded 
and  eager  for  reform.  He  was  sent  by  the  Sultan  to  represent 
him  at  Rome  at  the  silver  wedding  of  the  King  and  Queen  of 
Italy  in  1893,  and  later,  was  one  of  the  Peace  delegates  at 
the  Conference  after  the  Greco-Turkish  War.  He  acted  as 
second  delegate  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  at  the  Conference  at 
Rome  against  the  Anarchists,  and  also  at  the  Peace  Conference 
at  The  Hague. 

At  this  latter  Conference  he  won  golden  opinions  from 
all  the  delegates  of  the  other  Powers  for  his  politeness,  his 
charm  of  manner,  and  the  clever  tact  with  which  he  performed 
his  somewhat  difficult  mission. 

Few,  if  any,  of  the  dignitaries  of  Constantinople  possess 
such  a  wide  knowledge  of  Europe,  European  ways,  and  European 
politics.  Enjoying  the  full  confidence  of  the  Sultan  and  of 
the  Sublime  Porte,  he  is  recognised  by  the  foreign  missions 
as  the  working  head  of  the  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs. 
He  is  the  right  hand  of  his  chief,  Tewfik  Pasha,  whom  he  aids 
with  all  his  intelligence  in  the  incessant  difficulties  which  beset 
Turkish  diplomacy.  As  a  mark  of  their  esteem  he  has  been 
decorated  by  nearly  every  sovereign  in  Europe,  while  the 
Sultan  has  given  him  the  plaque  in  brilliants  of  the  Orders 
of  Osmanie  and  the  Medjidie. 

Noury  Pasha  being  well  known  to  me  as  one  of  the  cleverest 
men  in  Turkey,  it  afforded  me  great  pleasure  to  obtain  a 
chat  with  him  one  evening  in  the  quiet  of  his  own  home. 

He  received  me  in  a  cosy  room  on  the  ground  floor,  a  room 
that  was  more  European  than  Turkish,  and  where  I  noticed 
many  signed  photographs  of  the  chief  diplomatists  of  Europe 
who  are  his  friends. 

When  we  were  seated,  a  man-servant  brought  us  the 
inevitable  tiny  cup  of  excellent  coffee,  and  delicious  cigarettes, 
and  then  we  fell  to  chatting. 

I  gave  him  a  message  from  a  notable  foreign  ambassador 
who  was  our  mutual  friend,  and  told  him  the  reason  I  was  in 
Constantinople. 


276  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

"  Ah  !  So  you  wish  to  see  His  Majesty,  and  also  His 
Excellency  Tewfik  Pasha  !  Well,  I  will  see  what  can  be 
done,"  was  his  reply. 

"  But  I  want  your  Excellency  to  tell  me,  if  you  will,  what 
is  the  present  situation  in  Turkey,  and  what  are  her  future 
aspirations  ?  "  I  said  boldly. 

The  question  was  rather  a  poser.  He  hesitated.  I  pressed 
him  to  tell  me  the  truth  as  far  as  he  was  able,  without  being 
injudicious ;  and  at  last,  after  some  reluctance,  he  consented. 

"  You  Europeans,"  he  laughed,  "  are  under  a  great  mis- 
conception as  regards  Turkey.  My  sovereign.  His  Imperial 
Majesty,  is  often  portrayed  as  a  bloodthirsty  brute,  who 
has  no  regard  for  human  life,  and  whose  reign  is  one  of  terror 
and  terrible  injustice.  Now  the  exact  opposite  is  the  truth. 
You  will  meet  His  Majesty,  and  judge  for  yourself.  I  have 
good  opportunities  of  seeing  how  deeply  he  has  the  welfare 
of  his  people  at  heart.  Is  it  not  he,  for  instance,  who  out  of 
his  own  pocket  supports  some  six  hundred  schools  in  Turkey  ? 
It  is  he,  personally,  who  has  more  than  once  prevented  a 
declaration  of  war.  I  know  we  Turks  have  many  defects. 
But  what  nation  has  not  ?  Even  you  English  are  not — well, 
exactly  perfect,"  he  laughed.  "  Foreigners  come  here  to 
Constantinople  and  hold  up  their  hands  that  we  do  not  sweep 
our  streets,  as  is  done  in  other  capitals.  The  fact  is,  Turkey 
is  not  a  rich  country,  and  we  have  no  money  to  expend  on 
scavengers.  I  and  every  Turk  would  only  welcome  cleanli- 
ness. But  how  can  we  do  it  when  we  have  no  funds  ?  Again, 
the  very  people  who  criticise  us,  the  foreigners,  can  come 
and  live  here  for  twenty  years  and  not  pay  one  piastre  of 
municipal  tax.     Can  they  do  that  in  any  other  country  ?  " 

I  admitted  that  they  could  not. 

"  Then  why  should  they  criticise  us  ?  All  we  want  to 
be  allowed  to  do  is  to  carry  on  our  government  in  our  own 
way.  Our  population  is  of  different  race  and  different  creed 
from  Europeans,  and  therefore  necessitates  a  totally  different 
method  of  government.  England  does  not  understand 
Turkey,  or  Turkish  methods.  I  readily  grant  that  our 
government    would   not   suit    England,    but    neither    would 


IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH  277 

British  ideas  be  tolerated  here.  For  many  years  all  the 
diplomatic  correspondence  of  the  SubUme  Porte  has  passed 
through  my  hands,  hence  I  know  what  I  am  speaking  about 
when  on  the  topic  of  Turkish  diplomacy.  Abroad,  we  are 
told  that  our  word  is  not  our  bond,  that  we  give  promises 
that  we  do  not  fulfil,  and  that  we  are  a  century  or  so  behind 
the  times.  Well,  I  admit  that  we  are  not  a  twentieth-century 
nation.  I  admit  that  our  Sublime  Porte  is  not  so  imposing 
as  your  Foreign  Office  in  Whitehall,  or  the  Ministere  des 
Affaires  Etrangeres  in  Paris,  or  in  Vienna.  But  I  do  main- 
tain that  the  government  of  my  sovereign,  the  Sultan,  is  a 
beneficent  one  for  Turkey,  and  that  our  foreign  policy  has 
for  its  base  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the  Balkans." 

"  But  Macedonia  ?  "  I  remarked. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  The  question  of  Macedonia  is,  I  admit,  an  extremely 
difficult  one,"  he  answered.  "  We  have  to  govern  a  popula- 
tion so  varied,  both  in  nationality  and  in  creed,  that  there 
must  of  necessity  be  constant  aggressions  and  outbreaks. 
It  is  said  that  we  aid  and  abet  the  Greek  bands  in  massacring 
the  Christians.  I  totally  deny  this.  We  do  not.  Surely 
it  is  to  our  own  interest  to  maintain  peace  and  order  in 
Macedonia,  and  not  to  allow  outsiders  to  create  disorder 
and  dissension  !  " 

"  And  the  protests  of  Bulgaria  ?  " 

His  Excellency  smiled. 

"  We  hear  from  time  to  time  threats  of  war,"  was  his 
answer.  "  But  when  we  hear  them,  we  remember  that  we  are 
sixteen  million  Turks ;  and  when  we  sleep,  we  sleep  quite 
undisturbed  by  any  war  rumours  from  Sofia." 

"  Then  you  do  jiot  anticipate  armed  reprisals  from 
Bulgaria  ?  " 

He  laughed,  but  said  nothing  except — 

"  Turkey  is  well  informed,  I  assure  you,  of  aU  that  tran- 
spires in  Sofia." 

Noury  Pasha's  son,  a  smart  lad  of  sixteen,  entered  and 
chatted  with  us  in  French.  He  is  going  to  Paris  for  his 
education,  and  is  destined  for  the  Turkish  Diplomatic  Service. 


278  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

He  is  a  bright,  intelligent  youth,  who,  like  his  father,  is  imbued 
with  Western  ideas,  and  yet  is  naturally  full  of  patriotism 
lor  his  own  country. 

Another  cup  of  excellent  coffee,  another  cigarette  over 
a  chat  upon  private  matters,  and  I  took  leave  of  my  host — 
after  I  had  begged  the  photograph  which  appears  in  these 
pages — feeling  that  I  had  met  one  of  the  most  charming  and 
most  intelligent  men  in  the  great  Ottoman  Empire. 

Next  day  I  called  at  the  palace  of  Tewfik  Pasha,  and 
on  being  ushered  into  a  gorgeous  reception-room — very 
French,  but  by  the  way  lit  by  candles  in  high  glass  chimneys — 
the  usual  cup  of  coffee  upon  a  golden  tray  and  cigarette  were 
brought  me.  The  secretary  of  the  Greek  Embassy  was  waiting 
to  see  His  Excellency  upon  an  urgent  matter  concerning  a 
massacre  by  a  Greek  band  in  Macedonia  which  had  taken  place 
near  Seres  the  day  previously.  This  meant,  I  saw,  a  long 
interview,  and  not  caring  to  wait,  I  left  a  message  for  His 
Excellency  to  the  effect  that  I  would  call  and  see  him  at 
the  Sublime  Porte  on  the  following  morning. 

Next  to  His  Imperial  Majesty  the  Sultan,  Tewfik  Pasha 
is  certainly  the  most  powerful  man  in  the  Ottoman  Empire. 
A    quiet-mannered,    quiet-spoken,    grey-bearded    gentleman 
with  kindly  eyes  and  a  fatherly  manner,  he  is  entirely  the 
opposite  that  one  would  expect  of  "  the  terrible  Turk."    Born 
in  Constantinople  in  1845,  the  son  of  a  General  of  Division, 
Ismail  Hakki  Pasha,  he  was  destined  for  the  army,  and  pro- 
secuted   his    studies    with    great    diligence.     Unfortunately, 
owing  to  feeble  health,  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the 
idea  of  a  military  career— not,  however,  before  he  had  passed 
his  examination  and  obtained  his  diploma.     He  then  chose 
a  new  career,  one   in  which  he  has   certainly  rendered  his 
country   signal   services.     In    1866   he   joined   the    Ministry 
of  Foreign  Affairs  as  attache,  six  years  later  being  nomin- 
ated as  second  secretary  at  the  Ottoman  Legation  at  Rome, 
whence  he  went  to  Vienna,  to  Berlin,  and,  later  on,  to  Athens. 
He  was  transferred   to   St.   Petersburg   as  first  secretary  at 
the  moment  when  there  arose  those  grave  complications  which 
resulted  in  the  war  between  Russia  and  Turkey.     Then,  during 


IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH  279 

the  war,  he  was  appointed  diplomatic  agent  to  the  Turkish 
Commander-in-Chief.  In  1879,  ^^^^r  the  war,  he  was  sent 
back  to  the  Russian  capital,  but  on  this  occasion  in  the 
capacity  of  Minister  Plenipotentiary. 

At  the  early  age  of  forty-one  Tewfik  Pasha  found  himself 
Ambassador  at  Berlin,  a  post  which  he  occupied  for  ten  years, 
namely,  till  1895.  His  personal  charm,  his  uprightness,  and 
his  frankness  of  manner  endeared  him  to  his  colleagues  in 
the  German  capital,  as  well  as  to  the  German  Court,  and  it  was 
he,  indeed,  who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  present  cordial 
friendliness  between  the  sovereigns  at  Berlin  and  Constanti- 
nople. 

Finall}^  in  1895,  the  Sultan  recalled  him  to  Turkey  and 
promoted  him  to  be  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  a  powerful 
position  which  he  still  holds.  For  the  past  eleven  years  he 
has  directed  the  destinies  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  with  broad- 
mindedness,  tact,  and  patience,  that  have,  without  doubt,  been 
highly  beneficial  to  his  country's  interests.  His  post  is  no 
sinecure,  as  recent  history  has  shown  us.  Yet  he  is  a  con- 
scientious man  of  Western  ideas  and  Western  views  ;  one  of 
the  cleverest  diplomatists  in  the  whole  of  Europe,  and  yet  at 
the  same  time  just  and  honourable  in  his  dealings.  However 
much  we  in  England  may  criticise  the  policy  of  the  Sublime 
Porte,  we  can  have  only  admiration  for  Tewfik  Pasha,  both  as 
a  man  and  as  the  faithful  servant  of  his  Imperial  master. 

In  Turkey  fresh  diplomatic  difficulties  arise  every  minute, 
yet  with  Noury  Pasha's  assistance  he  grapples  with  them  and 
deals  with  them  in  a  manner  which  the  diplomatists  of  few 
other  nations  could  ever  hope  to  do.  Honoured  by  the  most 
complete  confidence  of  his  sovereign,  who  possesses  for  him  a 
particular  esteem,  Tewfik  Pasha  is  universally  known  and 
liked.  The  diplomatic  corps  in  Constantinople  are  ever  loud 
in  their  praises  of  his  extreme  kindness  and  courtesy  and  his 
readiness  to  accede  to  all  requests  that  are  in  reason. 

His  Excellency's  courtesy  towards  myself  was  very  marked. 
Hardly  had  I  been  ushered  into  his  anteroom  at  the  Sublime 
Porte — a  very  shabby,  unimposing  building  of  long  dreary 
corridors  with  broken  windows  and  broken  wooden  flooring — 


28o  AN  OBSERVER  TN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

when  the  usual  coffee  was  brought,  and  I  signed  his  big  visitors' 
book.  In  that  book  I  noticed  the  signatures  of  all  the  diplo- 
matic world  of  Constantinople.  Then  there  entered  the 
Russian  Ambassador,  who,  with  a  cheery  "  Bon  jour,  m'sieur," 
crossed,  and  also  signed  the  book. 

A  moment  later  the  secretary  came,  and  presenting  His 
Excellency's  regrets  to  the  Ambassador,  pointed  out  that  he 
already  had  an  appointment  with  me,  and  asked  whether  he 
would  call  later.  The  representative  of  the  Tzar  said  he  would 
call  the  following  morning,  and  I  was  then  ushered  into  Tewfik's 
private  room,  a  big,  cheerful  apartment  with  splendid  Persian 
carpets,  long  windows  and  a  large  writing-table  at  one  end, 
where  sat  the  grey-bearded  Minister  in  frock-coat  and  fez. 
He  rose  and  greeted  me  with  a  hearty  hand-shake.  With  him 
was  seated  the  Grand  Vizier  and  Noury  Pasha,  both  of  whom 
also  greeted  me. 

We  four  had  a  long  and  very  interesting  conversation  in 
French,  its  drift,  however,  being  such  as  would  be  injudicious 
to  print  in  these  pages.  The  chat  was  of  a  purely  private 
character,  although  it  closely  concerned  the  present  political 
situation  in  the  Near  East. 

"  The  fact  is,"  remarked  His  Excellency  presently,  smiling 
as  he  sat  back  in  his  arm-chair  before  his  littered  writing- 
table,  "  we  Turks  are  not  understood  abroad.  Writers  in 
England,  and  especially  your  journalists,  not  knowing  Turkey 
and  never  having  visited  the  East,  criticise  us,  and  say  all 
sorts  of  hard  things  about  Turkish  rule  and  Turkish  diplomacy. 
They  call  us  intolerant  and  fanatical.  But  surely  there  are 
evidences  in  Constantinople  that  we  are  tolerant  ?  We  allow 
Christians  to  erect  churches  wherever  they  want  them ;  and 
again,  have  we  not  done  everything  possible  in  Macedonia  to 
preserve  for  its  inhabitants  their  religious  liberty  ?  Really, 
the  English  ought  to  know  the  truth  concerning  Turkey. 
Unfortunately,  the  fashion  of  late  seems  to  be  to  denounce  our 
land  and  all  its  ways  !  "     And  he  laughed  again. 

I  referred  in  guarded  words  to  the  possibilities  of  war  with 
Bulgaria,  whereupon  he  said — 

"  We    view    the    matter  with    perfect   tranquillity.     The 


**  ,  ,t 


^:gy._m^^m 


The  entrance  to  the   Bosphorous. 


In    Constantinople. 


IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  TRUTH  281 

Government  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  regrets  most  deeply 
those  unfortunate  incidents  in  Macedonia  that  so  constantly 
occur,  but  is  unable  to  remedy  it.  It  is  the  Greek  bands  that 
are  to  blame — not  the  Turks." 

"  And  your  diplomatic  relations  with  Bulgaria  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  are  perfectly  normal,"  was  his  reply.  "  Dr. 
Stancioff  is  an  able  Minister,  and  he  fully  understands  us." 

"  Then  you  do  not  anticipate  hostilities  at  an  early  date  ?  " 
I  asked,  pressing  home  my  question. 

His  Excellency  said  nothing.  He  merely  shrugged  his 
shoulders.  But  that  gesture  was,  to  me,  sufficiently 
significant. 

"  You  are  going  to  Macedonia,"  he  said.  "It  is  not 
altogether  safe,  you  know,  especially  around  Presba  and  Ochrida, 
or  about  Seres.  But  if  you  are  determined  to  go,  I  wish  you 
every  good  luck  on  your  journey." 

I  thanked  him,  and  after  another  half-hour's  pleasant 
chat  with  the  Grand  Vizier  and  Noury  Pasha  I  rose,  and  Tewfik 
Pasha  grasped  my  hand  heartily  in  warm  farewell,  his  parting 
words  being — 

"  Go,  see  for  yourself,  and  I  believe  you  will  find  that  we 
Turks  are  not  quite  so  black  as  we  are  painted." 

And  I  left  the  presence  of  a  man  whose  broad-minded  policy, 
if  it  were  adopted  in  every  particular,  would,  I  feel  sure,  advance 
the  Turkish  cause,  and  place  the  Ottoman  Empire  in  a  very 
different  position  from  what  it  is  to-day. 

I  crossed  the  Sea  of  Marmora  to  Haidar  Pasha,  in  Asia 
Minor,  visited  Ismid,  and  saw  the  new  German  railway  that 
has  its  head  opposite  Stamboul  and  is  to  have  its  terminus 
on  the  Persian  Gulf.  I  went  to  Brusa,  the  ancient  capital 
of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  walked  in  the  wonderful  burying- 
grounds  of  Scutari,  and  made  many  interesting  excursions 
about  Asia  Minor,  in  order  to  observe  the  all-powerful  influence 
of  Germany  in  that  country.     And  I  was  amazed. 

On  my  return  to  Constantinople  I  had  other  interviews 
at  the  Yildiz  with  His  Majesty  himself,  and  with  members  of 
the  Government,  all  of  which  combined  to  show  that  Turkey 
is  not  in  any  way  afraid  of  Bulgaria,     The  fact  is,  she  is 


282  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

uncertain  of  the  attitude  of  Servia  and  Roumania,  and  is  rather 
mystified  as  to  what  Austria  will  do  in  the  event  of  war.  Re- 
lying upon  Germany,  and  treating  Great  Britain  with  studied 
pohteness,  she  views  the  present  critical  position  with  perfect 
coolness  and  indifference. 

Indeed,  as  Noury  Pasha  very  justly  said  one  day  to  me — 
"It  takes  a  good  deal  to  arouse  us  Turks,  but  when  we 
are  aroused,  we  fight — and  fight  to  the  death." 

Turkey  to-day  is  still  in  its  lethargic  state,  but  once  aroused, 
who  knows  where  the  war  will  end,  or  what  European  com- 
plications will  result  ? 


MACEDONIA 


288 


Lake  of  Ochrida  :    Macedonia. 


Lake  of  Presba  ;    Macedonia. 


CHAPTER    I 
PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA 

War  imminent  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey — My  secret  inquiries Atrocities 

by  the  Greek  bands — Chats  with  the  leaders  of  the  insurrection The 

truth  about  the  intrigues  in  Macedonia — I  visit  the  scene  of  the  massacres 

— Stories  told  to  me — Horrifying  facts — Germany  behind  the  assassins 

A  disgraceful  truth. 

THIS  present  record  of  my  observations  in  the  Near  East 
would  be  incomplete  without  some  description  of  my 
journey  through  Macedonia,  and  what  I  saw  there. 

The  Macedonian  question  is  the  burning  question  of  to-day, 
and  one  that  can  only  be  solved  in  one  way — by  a  fierce  and 
bloody  war. 

As  I  have  already  shown,  there  is  every  indication  that 
hostilities  between  Bulgaria  and  Turkey  must  occur  in  the 
present  year.  Indeed,  the  thread  is  now  strained  to  breaking 
point,  and  one  need  never  be  surprised  to  learn  at  the  break- 
fast-table one  morning  that  Bulgaria  has  boldly  thrown  down 
the  gauntlet  to  the  Sultan.  Then,  aided  by  Roumania — who 
will  be  induced  to  give  her  support  in  return  for  that  additional 
strip  of  territory  between  the  Danube  and  the  Black  Sea,  as 
I  have  already  indicated  in  a  previous  chapter — a  fierce  and 
bitter  struggle  will  commence.  With  Bulgaria,  the  Northern 
Albanians  will  ally  themselves  according  to  the  words  of  the 
various  chiefs  of  whom  I  made  inquiry ;  Montenegro,  and  of 
course  Servia,  will  hold  their  own  against  the  Turk,  and  the 
result  must  be  that  the  whole  of  the  Balkans  will  be  aflame. 

This  forecast  is  no  imaginary  one.  It  is  based  upon 
information  imparted  to  me  in  confidence  by  Cabinet  Ministers 


286  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

themselves — information  which  is  in  part  in  the  possession  of 
the  Foreign  Office  at  this  moment.  Secret  preparations  are 
in  active  progress  both  in  Roumania  and  Bulgaria,  while  Servia 
has  ordered  her  new  artiller}^  to  be  delivered  at  the  end  of 
this  present  spring.  There  is  a  tacit  agreement  between  the 
Balkan  States  that  affairs  in  Macedonia  are  intolerable,  and 
that  the  decimated  population  must  now  be  protected.  And 
in  summary  of  the  various  conversations  I  had  with  the 
monarchs  and  their  Ministers  in  each  of  the  Balkan  capitals,  I 
can  only  say  that  the  view  is  unanimous. 

In  Servia,  in  Bulgaria,  in  Montenegro,  in  Albania,  in 
Roumania,  and  in  Macedonia  itself  I  made  every  inquiry  from 
reliable  sources.  From  secret  information,  I  was  able  to  gather 
that  there  is  but  one  solution  of  the  question — War. 

At  present  the  Bulgarian  bands  formed  to  protect  the 
Macedonians  are  passive.  The  organisation  is  still  there, 
and  will  be  of  greatest  use  when  hostilities  are  declared ;  but 
there  is  no  activity,  and  there  has,  indeed,  been  little  since 
the  recent  abortive  insurrection. 

Greek  bands,  aided  and  abetted  by  the  Turks,  are,  however, 
everywhere,  and  each  day  the  most  awful  atrocities  are  com- 
mitted by  them.  Reports  of  these  are  received  in  Sofia  and 
in  Constantinople,  but  no  representation  is  made  by  either  of 
the  Powers  to  the  Sublime  Porte  or  to  Athens.  "  Macedonia  !  " 
exclaimed  a  well-known  foreign  Ambassador  one  day,  while  I 
was  sitting  at  lunch  with  him  at  his  Embassy,  "  Macedonia  ! 
We're  sick  of  Macedonia,  and  have  ceased  to  trouble  about  it !  " 

Ceased  to  trouble  indeed  !  Here  a  great  and  intelligent 
Christian  population  is  being  slaughtered  in  order  to  further 
the  ambitious  aims  of  Germany,  and  no  one  stirs  a  finger  I 
Europe  raised  its  eyes  heavenward  when  it  heard  of  the  Congo 
atrocities,  yet  of  poor  Macedonia  the  Powers  are  "  sick,"  and 
she  is  cast  helpless  to  the  assassin's  knife  ! 

Before  going  to  Macedonia  I  sought  and  obtained  the 
opinions  of  the  leading  authorities  in  the  East,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  rulers  and  Ministers.  Much  told  me  by  the  various 
monarchs  was,  of  course,  in  entire  confidence,  therefore  I  can 
only  speak  generally  in  declaring  their  opinion  to  be  in  favour 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA         287 

of  securing  for  Macedonia  autonomy  under  a  European  prince 
as  Governor-General. 

In  more  than  one  high  quarter  Prince  Danilo  of  Montenegro 
was  mentioned  as  possible  for  the  post,  and  in  another  the  name 
of  Prince  Mirko  of  Montenegro  was  put  forward.  A  German 
prince  or  an  Austrian  archduke  would  be  impossible,  but  an 
English  prince  would  be  welcomed,  and  the  name  of  Prince 
Arthur  of  Connaught  was  spoken  of  by  more  than  one  Balkan 
Cabinet  Minister. 

In  Servia  I  had  several  highly  interesting  chats  with 
Professor  Civics  of  Belgrade  University,  who  is  a  weU-known 
authority  on  Macedonia,  and  who  has  recently  pubUshed  a  book 
attempting  to  prove  that  the  bulk  of  the  Macedonian  population 
is  not  Bulgar,  but  Serb.  Many  of  his  arguments  I  found,  on 
exhaustive  inquiry,  to  be  well  based,  yet  my  own  conclusion  is 
that,  after  all,  the  great  majority  of  the  Macedonian  population 
is  really  Bulgar. 

This  fact  is  admitted  all  through  the  Balkans,  therefore 
the  situation  in  Macedonia  must  of  necessity  affect  Bulgaria 
more  closely  than  any  other  nation. 

The  question  of  Macedonia  is  a  most  difficult  and  com- 
plicated one,  but  I  spared  no  effort  in  order  to  thoroughly 
master  it  in  all  its  various  phases,  and  to  get  at  the  truth  of  the 
present  and  the  probabilities  of  the  near  future. 

In  Sofia  I  had  a  long  talk  with  Professor  Agoura  of  Sofia 
University,  who  is  one  of  the  best-known  authorities  upon  the 
Macedonian  question.  He  has  been  in  Macedonia  many 
times,  and,  like  myself,  has  had  an  opportunity  of  speaking 
with  the  people  and  hearing  their  grievances. 

"  In  England  the  Macedonian  question  is  entirely  mis- 
understood," he  said.  "  Some  writers  have  taken  Professor 
Civics'  views,  and  endeavoured  to  prove  that  the  Macedonians 
are  really  Slavs.  But  they  are  not.  Their  whole  history 
shows  that  they  are  Bulgars." 

"  And  the  present  state  of  the  country  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Never  in  the  modem  history  of  Macedonia  has  it  been 
in  such  a  bad  state  as  at  present.  The  Christian  Bulgars 
are  outraged,  tortured,  and  shot,  and  their  villages  burnt 


288  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

by  the  Greek  bands,  who  are  now  under  the  protection  of  the 
Turks,  and  not  a  voice  is  raised  at  Constantinople  in  complaint. 
It  is  simply  astounding  that  such  a  state  of  things  should 
be  allowed  to  exist  in  this  twentieth  century.  Over  one 
thousand  Christian  Bulgars  were  killed  in  the  raids  last  year, 
and  this  year  the  number  is  known  to  be  more  than  double. 
Bulgaria  is,  however,  at  this  moment  staying  her  hand. 
Weakened  as  the  Macedonians  are,  and  with  Turkey  protect- 
ing the  Greek  bands,  our  Bulgarian  bands  for  the  protection 
of  the  villages  have  but  little  chance.  Of  late,  it  has  been 
the  unfortunate  Bulgar  who  has  lost  always.  The  Bulgar 
bands,  it  was  found,  compromised  the  villages,  and  at  the 
same  time  were  not  strong  enough  to  protect  them.  There- 
fore those  still  in  Macedonia  live  in  the  mountains  and  come 
down  when  required.  Ah  !  "  he  added,  throwing  up  his 
hands,  "  the  state  of  affairs  is  terrible  !  Only  recently  during 
a  village  wedding  at  Zagoutcheni  the  place  was  attacked  by 
a  Greek  band  and  seventy  men,  women,  and  children  killed." 

"  And  in  your  opinion  what  would  be  the  best  settlement 
of  the  question  ?  "  I  inquired ;  for  he  was  one  of  the  greatest 
authorities  in  Europe  upon  the  much- vexed  problem. 

"  The  best  settlement  of  Macedonia  would  be  an  autonomy, 
but  a  restrained  one — one  that  would  not  separate  Mace- 
donia from  Turkey,"  he  replied.  "  Macedonia  should  be 
placed  under  a  European  Governor-General — certainly  not 
German — preferably  a  Swiss.  The  police  and  the  central 
administration  should  be  vested  in  the  Governor-General, 
and  all  other  questions  left  to  Turkey.  Religion  should, 
of  course,  be  free.  Bulgaria  has  no  desire  to  annex  Mace- 
donia, as  the  Powers  seem  to  think.  I  do  not  think  that  the 
question  can  be  settled  in  any  other  way.  A  European  con- 
ference should  be  convoked,  and  the  matter  dealt  with  at 
once.  When  you  go  to  Macedonia,  you  will  see  for  yourself 
the  state  of  things.  But  remember,  the  Turks  will  let  you 
see  nothing  if  they  can  help  it.  You  are  going  to  Monastir. 
Good.  Travel  across  to  Ochrida,  and  you  will  see  and  hear 
things  that  will  appal  you. 

"  Recently    there    have    been,   to    my    knowledge,    eight 


O    T3 
1—       (U 


O    ? 


=>   Q    5 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA         289 

Christian  villages  entirely  destroyed  by  Greek  bands — the 
inhabitants  exterminated,  and  the  houses  burned  to  the 
ground.  During  the  past  two  years  there  has  never  passed 
one  single  day  without  murders  and  outrages  committed  by 
Greek  bands  upon  the  Bulgar  inhabitants  of  Macedonia. 
Unfortunately,  the  Turkish  army  arrives  always  too  late  to 
protect  the  population  ;  but  this  is,  of  course,  arranged.  Indeed, 
it  seems  as  though  the  Turks  protect  these  Greek  bands  and 
assist  them  in  their  nefarious  work.  From  Ochrida  right 
down  to  Salonica  these  murders  are  of  daily  occurrence, 
always  by  the  Greek  bands.  These  bands  operate  in  the 
arrondissements  of  Seres,  Drama,  Demir-Hissar,  Kavala  ;  in 
the  Salonica  vilayet  at  Enije-Vardar,  Vodena,  and  Guevgueli ; 
in  Lerin,  Fiorina,  Castoria,  Presba,  and  Murievo,  and  around 
Monastir.  The  Servian  bands  operate  at  Cumanovo,  Palanca, 
Veles,  Kitschevo,  and  Poretschi ;  while  Turkish  bands  are 
just  now  massacring  at  Tikveschi,  Schlip,  Veles,  Kotschani, 
Strousaitza,  Razlog,  Melnik,  and  Nevrokop.  So  it  will  be 
seen  that  where  there  are  no  Greek  bands,  there  are  either 
Turks  or  Servians." 

In  Sofia  I  also  met  the  renowned  leader  of  the  premature 
insurrection  in  Macedonia,  General  Ivan  Tzontcheff,  a  short, 
smart,  dapper  little  man,  quick  of  movement  and  alert  of 
manner.  With  him  I  likewise  had  a  very  interesting  chat. 
As  one  who  has  the  Macedonian  cause  at  heart,  as  head  of  the 
Macedonian  External  Committee,  and  being  in  daily  touch 
with  events  in  that  terrified  country,  he  and  his  friend.  Monsieur 
Gologanoff,  were  able  to  give  me  many  details  and  explain 
much  that  is  unknown  to  the  English  public. 

I  also  met  several  times,  and  had  long  conversations  with, 
Dr.  Tartarcheff,  who  was  president  of  the  Macedonian  Revo- 
lutionary Committee  in  Bulgaria,  and  who,  after  the  in- 
surrection, was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Turks.  Both  men 
gave  me  much  authentic  information  and  introductions  that 
were  of  great  use  to  me  in  my  journey  through  Macedonia. 

The  truth  is  that  the  Macedonian  question  is  the  direct 
result  of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  for  by  it  the  Treaty  of  St.  Stefano 
— which  incorporated  Macedonia  in  the  Bulgarian  Principality 
19 


290  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

— was  annulled.  The  Treaty  of  Berlin  thus  left  Macedonia 
under  the  Turkish  dominion,  with  a  provision  of  a  kind  of 
autonomy  under  the  control  of  the  Great  Powers. 

This  autonomy  was  worked  up  in  detail  by  an  International 
Commission  in  Constantinople  in  1880.  But  it  was  not 
applied,  and  the  situation  in  Macedonia  remained  the  same 
as  it  was  before  the  Russo-Turkish  War,  and  became  even 
worse,  on  account  of  the  Turkish  fanaticism  aroused  against 
the  Bulgarians  as  the  cause  of  their  military  disasters. 

The  Turkish  persecutions  and  the  new  situation  in  Bulgaria 
attracted  the  greater  portion  of  the  Macedonian  intelligent 
population  into  that  Principality.  A  strong  Macedonian  emigra- 
tion was  therefore  started  to  Bulgaria,  which  in  late  years  has 
arisen  to  the  number  of  more  than  150,000. 

Macedonia,  thus  drained  of  its  intelligence,  devoted  its 
energies  from  1880  to  1890  to  a  strong  educational  movement, 
which  was  favoured  in  a  great  measure  by  the  political  cir- 
cumstances arisen  after  the  union  of  Eastern  Roumelia  to  the 
Bulgarian  Principality  in  1885.  Towards  the  end  of  this 
period,  1880  to  1890,  there  had  sprung  up  in  Macedonia  a 
young,  vigorous  intelligence,  with  a  strong  national  conscience, 
longing  for  greater  freedom  in  the  national  and  economical 
development  of  the  country,  and  aspiring  for  a  wider  field  of 
activity.  The  Turks,  afraid  of  the  Bulgarian  progress,  began 
to  restrain  the  activity  of  the  Macedonians.  The  growing 
tyrannical  regime  of  the  Sultan  Hamid  made  the  situation 
still  more  difficult,  and  life  became  impossible  in  the 
country. 

The  Macedonians  then  sought  their  salvation  in  revolution. 

This  revolutionary  movement  had  for  its  object  the  auto- 
nomy of  Macedonia,  which  is  declared  by  all  I  met  in  the 
Balkans  to  be  the  only  solution  of  the  question. 

Several  important  reasons  are  given  for  this.  First,  it  is 
argued  that  autonomy  was  secured  by  International  Acts : — 
the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  and  the  International  Commission  in 
Constantinople,  1880.  Secondly,  it  did  not  touch  in  any  way 
the  integrity  of  the  Turkish  Empire,  a  dogma  in  the  policy 
of  the  European  Powers.    Thirdly,  it  did  not  in  any  way 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA         291 

impair  the  suzerainty  of  the  Sultan,  who  still  remained  the 
sovereign  of  the  province,  and  who  had  himself  accepted  and 
signed  the  International  Act.  Fourthly,  it  gave  full  scope  to 
the  free  development  of  all  the  inhabitants  in  the  country, 
independently  of  religion  or  race.  Fifthly,  the  autonomy  not 
only  did  not  affect  the  interests  of  any  Balkan  State,  but  was 
bringing  a  soothing  element  into  the  relations  between  the 
Balkan  nations. 

To-day  the  animosities  between  the  Balkan  nations  have 
their  common  cause  in  Macedonia.  She  is  the  apple  of  discord. 
Every  Balkan  State  is  contemplating  the  conquest  of  this  rich 
province  and  the  playing  of  principal  role  in  the  destinies  of 
the  Peninsula.  All  have  instituted  church  and  school  pro- 
pagandas in  the  country,  where  they  wage  a  furious  war 
between  themselves  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  native  population. 
This  war  is  made  more  cruel  by  the  policy  of  Turkey, 
Germany,  and  Greece.  So  that  in  this  way  the  Macedonian 
population  is  demoralised,  and  the  Balkan  nations  themselves 
are  exhausting  their  energy. 

The  autonomy,  if  secured,  would  exercise  a  benign  influence 
towards  an  understanding  between  the  Balkan  nations.  By 
the  establishment  of  such  an  administration  in  Macedonia, 
under  the  guidance  and  the  control  of  Europe,  the  Macedonians 
would  take  their  destiny  in  their  own  hands.  The  different 
propagandas  would  not  have  such  a  propitious  field  for  action, 
and  the  animosities  would  gradually  subside.  That  this  is 
the  best  solution  of  the  Macedonian  question  is  held  by  states- 
men all  through  the  Peninsula,  for  by  the  progress  of  time 
and  the  development  of  events  the  erection  of  Macedonia  into 
a  separate  state  must  become  dominant  as  the  final  solution. 

The  way  for  a  Balkan  Federation  would  then  be  cleared. 
Macedonia  by  itself  would  become  a  kind  of  Switzerland,  and 
the  nucleus  towards  the  creation  of  a  still  more  powerful 
Switzerland  in  the  Balkan  Federation,  which,  neutralised, 
would  create  in  the  Balkan  Peninsula  a  field  for  progress 
and  civilisation,  but  not  a  bridge  for  the  conquering  ambitions 
from  the  North. 

With  such  broad  ideas  and  with  such  hopes,  the  Mace- 


292 


AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 


donians  wrote  upon  their  revolutionary  banner  the  watchwords, 
"  Macedonia  for  the  Macedonian!^." 

The  revolutionary  movement  in  Macedonia — which  dates 
from  the  year  1893 — began  to  develop  into  a  strong  organi- 
sation from  1896-97.  The  whole  country,  by  patient  work, 
was  gradually  covered  with  a  network  of  secret  societies,  at  the 
head  of  which  was  a  Central  Revolutionary  Committee,  which, 
in  fact,  had  a  greater  power  in  the  country  than  the  official 
Turkish  authorities. 

This  revolutionary  organisation  had  an  international 
character.  In  it  were  received  all  the  Macedonians  thirsting 
for  liberty.  In  its  ranks  were  not  only  Bulgarians,  but 
also  Vlachs,  Montenegrins,  Servians,  and  even  Turks,  dis- 
contented with  the  Sultan's  regime.  But  on  the  whole,  the 
organisation  bore  a  Bulgarian  colour,  chiefly  on  account  of  the 
great  Bulgarian  majority  in  Macedonia,  and  also  on  account 
of  the  suspicion  that  the  organisation  intended  prosecuting 
Bulgarian  ambitions. 

For  the  reason  that  Macedonia  had  a  population  mostly 
of  Bulgarian  nationality,  and  through  the  agitation  of 
Macedonian  Emigration,  the  revolutionary  movement  found  a 
favourable  ground  in  Bulgaria.  Here  it  was  met  with  sympathy, 
which  was  followed  by  moral  and  material  support.  An 
organisation  was  instituted  in  the  Principality,  which  spread 
its  influence  very  rapidly  through  the  whole  country.  This 
organisation  was  called  the  External  Organisation,  while  that 
in  Macedonia  bore  the  name  of  the  Internal  Revolutionary 
Organisation. 

The  activity  of  these  two  organisations  brought  the  revo- 
lutionary movement  to  a  great  development  during  the  years 
of  T900  and  1901.  The  revolutionary  idea  became  dominant 
in  Macedonia.  Nearly  the  whole  population  was  united  in  a 
strongly  organised  body,  and  a  great  part  of  the  men  able  to 
fight  were  armed,  and  fighting  bands  were  formed  which  exer- 
cised the  armed  men.  The  country  was  divided  into  mihtary 
districts,  and  the  Macedonians  were  inspired  with  such  en- 
thusiasm that  they  welcomed,  with  a  thrill  of  exultation,  the 
impending  struggle.     The  enthusiasm  was  no  less  great  in 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA       293 

Bulgaria,  where  the  coming  insurrection  was  awaited  with 
great  hopes  of  success.  Indeed,  no  nation  in  the  Balkan 
Peninsula  had  shown  such  a  power  of  organisation,  such 
sacrificing  spirit,  and  such  fighting  qualities  as  the  Macedonians. 
An  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Macedonian  revolutionary 
movement,  such  as  General  Tzontcheff  possesses,  shows,  indeed, 
the  wonderful  energy  of  the  Macedonians. 

But  alas  !  political  intrigues  from  quarters  with  unfriendly 
dispositions  towards  Macedonian  aspirations,  sowed  mis- 
understandings in  the  midst  of  the  Organisation,  and  her 
forces  were  suddenly  paralysed  by  internal  strife  just  on  the 
eve  of  the  struggle. 

The  consequence  was  that  the  Macedonian  revolutionarj^ 
movement  did  not  express  itself  in  one  general  effort,  but  in 
partial  insurrections,  none  of  which  showed  the  whole  revo- 
lutionary energy.  The  insurrection  in  the  valley  of  the  river 
Stromina  during  the  autumn  of  1902  and  the  insurrection  in 
the  vilayet  of  Monastir  in  1903  were  easily  crushed,  and  the 
hopes  and  expectations  of  the  population  unfortunately 
deceived. 

After  these  abortive  insurrections  a  new  situation  was 
created.  The  European  Powers  admitted  the  inability  of  the 
Turkish  Government  to  establish  order  in  Macedonia,  and 
the  principle  of  European  interference  and  control  was  adopted. 
As  a  result  of  this  principle,  the  Murshteg  reforms  worked 
up  by  Austria  and  Russia  were  proclaimed.  These  reforms, 
however,  were  not  integral,  but  merely  embryo  reforms,  from 
the  expansion  and  development  of  which  depended  the  pacifi- 
cation of  the  country. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  morale  of  the  Macedonians  was 
now  shaken  and  the  power  of  the  Revolutionary  Organisa- 
tion shattered  in  consequence  of  the  incomplete  insurrections 
and  the  consequent  Turkish  victories. 

Naturally,  the  Turks,  faithful  to  their  traditional  policy, 
would  avail  themselves  of  this  situation  in  order  to  hinder 
the  development  of  the  reforms  in  their  true  sense.  The 
Greeks — whose  policy  is  the  partition  of  Macedonia — were,  like 
the  Turks,  against  such  a  development  of  the  reforms,  because 


294  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

the  establishment  of  an  effectual  European  control  would 
lead  to  a  good  government,  which  would  gradually  evolve 
the  destin}'  of  Macedonia  towards  an  autonomy. 

Therefore,  the  policy  of  Turkey,  Greece,  and  Germany 
had  a  common  interest,  namely,  to  paralyse  the  reforms,  and 
became  a  common  enemy  to  the  Macedonians,  who,  by  their 
Bulgarian  majority,  were  striving  for  autonomy. 

So,  united  in  their  action,  Greece,  and  also  Servia  to  a 
smaller  extent,  hurled,  the  one  from  the  South  and  the  other 
from  the  North,  armed  bands  into  Macedonia,  who  commenced 
their  destructive  work  against  the  Bulgarian  element,  by 
killing  the  leading  men  and  enforcing  the  country  population 
to  recognise  jGreek  or  Servian  nationality.  The  Turks  cover 
their  action,  and  the  villagers,  unprotected  and  without  arms, 
are  unable  to  defend  themselves.  They  are  at  the  mercy  of 
these  bands,  aided  by  the  Turkish  authorities. 

Thus  a  cruel  religious  and  racial  war  has  sprung  up  in  the 
heart  of  Macedonia,  under  the  protection  and  instigation  of 
the  Turkish  policy,  and  also  under  the  benevolent  eyes  of 
Germany  and  Austria. 

This  terrible  situation  has  been  still  more  complicated 
by  the  Bulgarians  themselves.  The  Revolutionary  Organisa- 
tion being  shattered  in  its  moral  and  material  power,  armed 
bands  were  formed  after  the  insurrection,  under  unscrupulous 
leaders,  who  commenced  acts  of  depredation  upon  the  un- 
fortunate Macedonians. 

Just  now  the  revolutionary  organisation  in  Bulgaria  is  under- 
going another  crisis.  It  is  divided  into  two  principal  flanks  : 
the  moderate  and  the  extreme.  The  first-mentioned  inclines 
towards  a  suspension  of  active  revolutionary  operations  on 
account  of  the  exhaustion  of  the  Macedonion  population  and 
the  unfavourable  political  situation  in  Europe,  while  the 
extreme  party  are  urging  a  continuance  of  revolutionary  action 
to  exasperation.  At  the  annual  congress  in  January, last  the 
moderates  had  a  chance  to  oust  the  extreme  party,  but  the 
death  of  Damian  Groueff,  the  chief  of  the  moderates,  who  was 
killed  in  the  village  of  Roussinovo  {vilayet  of  Uskub)  upset 
all   their  plans.      On  account  of  Groueff's  death   they  did 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA         295 

not  take  part  in  the  congress,  and  the  result  is  that  the 
extreme  party  are  now  all  paramount,  and  further  reprisals 
may  be  expected. 

Therefore  from  all  sides — from  Turks,  Greeks,  Servians, 
and  even  Bulgarians,  as  well  as  from  an  interested  diplomacy 
— the  Macedonians  are  pressed,  and  their  aspirations  for  the 
autonomy  compromised.  And  what  is  the  result  of  all  this  ? 
Only  that  the  Macedonians  are  set  by  the  interested  Powers 
before  the  eyes  of  the  Christian  world  as  a  cruel  and  barbarous 
population,  unworthy  of  sympathy  —  worthy  only  of  the 
tyrannical  Turkish  rule  ! 

What  is  the  remedy  ? 

There  is  but  one,  the  one  advocated  by  the  kings  and 
princes  of  the  Balkans  and  the  Cabinet  Ministers  with  whom 
I  chatted,  namely,  to  change  the  present  farcical  so-called 
reforms  into  an  administration,  under  effectual  European 
control  by  appointing* a  European  Governor-General,  respon- 
sible to  the  Powers.  Then  this  terrible  situation  will  change 
into  the  peaceful  development  of  a  country  which  is  endowed 
by  nature  with  bounty,  but  reduced  by  men's  covetousness  to 
a  perfect  hell. 

That  Macedonia  to-day  is  a  hell  I  have  seen  with  my  own 
eyes.  And  moreover  I  have  been  under  fire  from  a  Greek 
band  myself.  I  travelled — contrary  to  the  advice  of  my 
friends,  who  feared  the  perils  of  the  way — right  through  the 
heart  of  Macedonia  from  south  to  north,  visiting  the  Seres  and 
Melnik  districts,  which  only  a  few  days  prior  to  my  arrival 
had  been  ravaged  by  Greek  bands.  In  one  poor  village  I 
passed  through,  twenty-three  women,  children,  and  old  men 
had  been  butchered  in  cold  blood  on  the  previous  day,  and 
I  saw  with  my  own  eyes  some  of  their  mutilated  bodies. 
Upon  the  women  nameless  atrocities  had  been  committed. 

In  Caraja-Kioi,  a  village  not  far  from  Seres,  I  was  told 
that  a  fortnight  before,  nineteen  persons,  mostly  old  men  and 
women,  had  been  massacred,  and  I  was  informed  by  eye- 
witnesses that  the  Greek  band  was  assisted  by  the  Turks,  and 
that  present  at  the  massacre  was  a  Greek  metropolitan  and 
a  Greek  consular  employe  ! 


296  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

I  saw  and  spoke  to  two  women  who  had  been  maltreated 
by  the  Greeks,  and  who  still  bore  wounds.  The  head  of  one 
was  bound  by  a  bloodstained  rag,  and  the  arm  of  the  other 
was  in  a  sling, 

Wliat  they  told  me  was  truly  horrifying.  Both  had  been 
outraged  and  left  for  dead,  without  a  hand  being  raised  in 
their  defence.  And  their  cases  were  only  two  out  of  several 
dozen.  A  child,  a  little  girl  of  seven,  had  been  decapitated 
by  a  brutal  Turk,  and  a  mother  with  her  suckling  babe  had 
been  tortured  by  slow  burning. 

Everywhere  I  went  was  the  same  terrible  tale,  the  same 
cry  for  the  protection  of  the  Powers.  At  Vranja,  in  the  Melnik 
district,  I  saw  the  gaunt  ruins  of  seven  houses  which  had  been 
recently  burnt,  and  was  told  how  nine  women,  after  being 
subjected  to  all  sorts  of  atrocities,  were  afterwards  shot,  while 
at  Bashna  three  men  were  burnt  alive,  in  a  house,  and  six 
women  shot. 

That  journey  through  Macedonia  still  haunts  me  like  a 
nightmare.  On  the  one  hand,  I  met  the  oily  Turkish  official 
in  frock-coat  and  fez  declaring  that  the  country  was  quite 
quiet,  and  that  all  reports  were  exaggerated  ;  while,  on  the 
other,  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes  the  devilish  blood-lust  of  the 
Greeks,  the  poor  people  with  their  wounds  still  upon  them, 
the  mutilated  bodies  of  innocent  Christian  women  whose 
blood  calls  hourly  for  vengeance. 

To  Fiorina,  up  to  Kastoria,  and  through  the  terrorised 
districts  around  the  lakes  of  Presba  and  Ochrida  I  travelled, 
first  under  Turkish  escort,  but  not  being  allowed  to  see  what  I 
wanted,  I  was  permitted  by  a  Bulgarian  band  to  join  them,  and 
rode  through  the  various  districts.  It  was  a  somewhat  perilous 
and  exciting  time,  for  I  travelled  quickly,  wishing  to  get  out 
of  the  country.  Its  terrors  had  got  on  my  nerves,  and  the 
gloomy  warnings  of  my  friends  ever  rose  within  my  mind. 
Greek  bands  seemed  to  be  operating  everywhere,  and  we  never 
knew  when  we  might  not  come  into  close  quarters.  Our  way 
lay  often  through  deep  ravines,  affording  excellent  cover  for 
lurking  Greeks. 

So  life  was  the  reverse  of  pleasant.  i 


PLAIN  TRUTHS  ABOUT  MACEDONIA         297 

Still  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes  sights  that  appalled  me, 
and  I  am  certain  that  if  the  reader  had  seen  what  I  have 
witnessed  he  would  cry  shame  that  such  an  awful  state  of 
things  should  be  allowed  to  exist,  and  even  fostered  by  a 
Christian  civilised  Power. 

Does  the  Christian  Kaiser,  with  all  his  outward  declara- 
tions of  belief  in  the  direction  of  the  Almighty,  ever  give  a 
thought  to  the  poor  Macedonians  butchered  with  his  know- 
ledge— butchered  to  further  the  secret  aims  of  the  "  Father- 
land "  ?  Does  His  Imperial  Majesty,  when  he  bends  his 
knee  in  prayer,  remember  the  first  tenets  of  the  Christian 
faith  ? 

Those  who  know,  as  I  know,  the  secrets  of  German  intrigue 
in  Constantinople,  cannot  but  feel  contempt  and  disgust  at 
the  shameful  sacrifice  of  human  life  in  Macedonia,  where  Greeks 
and  Turks  outrage,  torture,  burn,  and  shoot  the  poor  innocent 
populace,  egged  on  by  "  pious  "  Germany. 

Let  the  ambitious  Emperor,  who  so  often  invokes  God's 
blessing  upon  the  German  nation,'pause  for  a  moment  and  reflect 
whether  there  is  no  hypocrisy  in  his  political  policy,  and  whether 
he  himself,  personally,  can  expect  to  receive  the  Divine  aid  he 
so  constantly  petitions  with  mock  servility. 

By  raising  his  hand  he  could  to-morrow  stop  those  brutal, 
savage  Greeks  from  their  bloody  work.  Yet,  by  doing  so,  he 
knows  he  would  nullify  his  policy  of  Germany's  advance 
southward,  and  would  throw  to  the  winds  the  years  of  secret 
diplomacy  practised  at  the  Sublime  Porte.  Will  he  do 
so  ? 

Or  will  he  continue  to  lift  his  eyes  to  Heaven,  and  close 
his  ears  to  the  death-cries  of  the  poor  slaughtered  Christian 
women  and  children,  who  are  every  day  being  butchered 
for  political  purposes  ? 

It  was  the  Kaiser's  diplomacy  that  discovered  the  existence 
of  the  Roumanian  population  in  Macedonia  ;  it  was  by  his 
intrigues  at  Athens  that  diplomatic  negotiations  between  Greece 
and  Roumania  have  been  broken  off. 

Go  to  Macedonia  yourself  with  an  open  mind  and  study 
the  question  on  the  spot,  and  you  will,  before  a  week  has 


298  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

passed,  obtain  quite  sufficient  evidence  to  convince  you  that 
what  I  have  hero  written  is  the  truth — that  Germany  stands 
behind  both  Greek  and  Turk,  and  encourages  them  with 
moral  and  material  support  to  commit  those  awful  and  name- 
less outrages  which  are  a  disgrace  to  our  civilisation. 


CHAPTER    II 
THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED 

Summary  of  my  confidential  information — War  this  year — The  attitude  of 
Greece,  Bulgaria,  Roumania,  and  Turkey — Procrastination,  promises, 
and  perfect  politeness — A  matter  more  serious  than  Macedonia — Warning 
to  British  statesmen  and  the  public — The  real  truth  exposed — Germany 
and  India. 

AS  summary  of  all  my  confidential  inquiries  throughout 
the  Near  East,  I  find  that  the  present  position  as  regards 
Macedonia  is  a  very  serious  one. 

Bulgaria,  who  has  the  largest  population  there,  has  un- 
doubtedly decided  to  adopt  a  firm  course,  which  must  inevitably 
lead  to  war  during  the  present  year.  Within  a  few  months 
the  Balkans  will  be  in  bloody  conflict. 

Greece  is  defiant,  and  her  bands  still  ravage  Macedonia. 
Monsieur  Theotokis,  the  Prime  Minister,  has  openly  adopted 
a  policy  of  defiance  against  Roumania,  and  of  increased  perse- 
cution of  the  Vlachs  in  Macedonia. 

His  attitude  is  a  ridiculous  one,  and  calculated  to  still 
further  complicate  the  situation.  He  declares  that  the  enemies 
of  Hellenism  have  succeeded  in  persuading  public  opinion  in 
Europe,  and  even  European  Governments,  that  the  abnormal 
situation  in  Macedonia  is  due  to  the  action  of  Greco-Macedonian 
bands,  and  has  also  made  them  forget  the  atrocities  which 
Bulgarians  had  committed  for  six  years  against  the  Greeks, 
who  had  at  last  been  compelled  to  rise  and  try  to  defend  them- 
selves. Whenever  the  Greek  Government  asks  for  compensa- 
tion of  the  Powers,  no  matter  what  the  question  at  issue,  they 
are,  he  says,  met  with  the  argument  that  they  were  responsible 

299 


300  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

for  the  atrocities  in  Macedonia,  because  they  aided  Greek  bands. 
The  Powers,  he  says,  were  informed  that  the  Hellenic  Govern- 
ment could  not  prevent  succour  being  given  to  the  Macedonian 
Greeks  in  their  defensive  campaign,  but  would  use  its  authority 
to  moderate  the  activity  of  the  bands.  Unhappily,  the  slacken- 
ing of  the  activity  of  the  Greek  bands  was  followed  by  a 
recrudescence  of  that  of  the  hostile  bands.  The  Powers  were 
informed  that  the  situation  was  becoming  intolerable,  and 
unless  they  could  take  measures  to  oblige  others  to  respect 
their  wishes,  the  Greek  Government  would  be  obliged  to 
defend  a  race  which  was  resolved  to  live,  and  not  to  bend  under 
the  ferocity  of  its  enemies.  He  maintains  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  Greece  to  accelerate  her  military  preparations.  Without 
an  army  she  cannot  be  considered  a  factor  in  the  East,  or  hope 
for  the  sympathies  of  others. 

But  M.  Theotokis  has  gone  even  farther.  His  declarations 
are  distinctly  amusing.  In  the  course  of  an  interview  in  Athens 
in  January  of  the  present  year  he  actually  had  the  audacity  to 
attribute  the  present  situation  in  Macedonia  to  Bulgaria.  He 
argued  as  follows  : — 

"  For  a  period  of  six  years  armed  bands  of  Bulgarians 
roved  all  over  Macedonia,  endeavouring  to  get  the  Greek 
Christian  inhabitants  to  declare  allegiance  to  the  head  of 
the  Bulgarian  Church,  and  backed  up  their  efforts  in  this 
direction  by  committing  murders  and  atrocities  of  every 
description.  Notwithstanding  repeated  appeals  of  the 
Greek  Government  to  the  Powers  to  put  a  stop  to  these 
outrages,  they  were  continued,  and  instead  of  being 
checked,  went  on  increasing  in  number  and  violence. 
News  of  these  atrocities  reaching  Greece  daily,  public 
opinion  here  was  getting  more  and  more  excited, 
and  finally,  the  Greek  public  having  given  up  all  hope  of 
a  stop  being  put  to  them,  committees  were  formed  with 
the  object  of  taking  action  to  protect  their  compatriots. 

"  The  Greek  Government  was  powerless  to  prevent 
these  protective  bands  from  crossing  into  Macedonia,  as, 
unfortunately,  we  have  not  sufficient  forces  to  thoroughly 


THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED  301 

guard  the  frontier.  The  inabihty  is  not  surprising, 
when  you  consider  that  Turkey  with  twenty  times  the 
forces  at  her  disposal  is  not  able  to  prevent  them  from 
getting  across.  That  these  bands  should  occasionally 
have  seized  an  opportunity  to  avenge  Bulgarian  crimes, 
which  had  continued  so  long  unrestrained,  is  only  natural, 
as  it  is  not  possible  to  keep  armed  bands  under  proper 
control  in  such  circumstances. 

"Finding  at  last  that  they  had  to  face  Greek  bands,  which 
they  were  not  able  to  stand  up  against,  the  Bulgarians  com- 
menced to  fill  the  world  with  complaints  against  the 
Greeks,  and  sent  out  descriptions  of  imaginary  atrocities 
committed  by  Greek  bands,  when  their  only  real  cause  of 
complaint  was  that  they  themselves  could  no  longer 
commit  crimes  on  the  Greek  Christians  with  impunity  in 
the  way  they,  for  six  years,  had  been  accustomed. 

"  The  result  of  the  great  outcry  raised  by  the  Bulgarians 
was  that  strong  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  by  the 
Powers  on  the  Greek  Government  to  prevent  Greek  bands 
from  crossing  into  Macedonia,  and  the  Greek  Govern- 
ment increased  the  efforts  they  had  always  been  making 
in  this  direction.  Probably  as  a  result  of  the  efforts  of 
this  Government,  fewer  Greek  bands  have  been  operating 
in  Macedonia  during  the  past  two  months,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  that  thirty-nine  Greeks  have  been  murdered 
in  Macedonia  during  this  period  by  Bulgarians,  while 
only  seven  of  the  latter  have  been  killed  by  Greeks. 

"  The  Greek  Government  have  no  interest  whatever  in 
hindering  the  efforts  of  the  Powers  to  restore  order  in 
Macedonia.  Quite  the  contrary  ;  no  one  desires  to  see 
order  restored  there  more  than  we  do.  But  you  must 
remember  that  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  Mace- 
donia are  Greeks,  and  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  Greek 
Government  to  control  public  opinion  in  Greece  in  face  of 
the  atrocities  committed  by  Bulgarians  on  our  country- 
men in  Macedonia.  If  the  Bulgarian  propaganda  in  that 
country  is  put  a  stop  to,  the  Greek  Christians  will  have 
nothing  to  fear,  and  in  such  circumstances  no  Greek  bands 


302  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

will  be  found  there,  as  their  sole  object  in  crossing  the 
frontier  was  to  protect  their  co-religionists,  who  for  six 
years  had  been  terrorised  by  the  Bulgarians.  Once 
Bulgarian  crimes  in  Macedonia  cease,  there  will  be  nothing 
more  heard  of '  regrettable  incidents  '  in  that  country." 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Prime  Minister  makes  no 
mention  of  Germany  or  of  German  intrigue.  He  endeavours 
to  put  the  blame  upon  Bulgaria,  when  all  Europe  knows  well 
that  it  is  Greece  who  is  responsible  for  the  present  bloodshed, 
and  even  the  Turkish  Grand  Vizier  himself  has  condemned  the 
action  of  the  Greeks,  and  declared  that  in  more  than  one  instance 
the  Greek  bands  have  actually  operated  with  the  full  know- 
ledge and  assistance  of  Greek  consuls. 

With  such  biassed  views  held  by  the  Greek  Premier,  it  can 
easily  be  seen  that  a  solution  of  the  problem  of  Macedonia 
cannot  be  arrived  at  without  recourse  to  force  of  arms,  and 
the  more  so,  because  of  Bulgaria's  determination  to  make  her 
power  felt  in  the  country  where  her  subjects  are  being  daily 
murdered. 

The  Turkish  policy  is  the  traditional  one  of  procrastination, 
promises,  and  perfect  politeness.  The  promised  reforms  are 
not  carried  out,  the  foreign  officers  employed  in  reforming 
the  gendarmerie  are  disgusted  with  their  treatment,  and  are 
fast  leaving  the  Turkish  service,  while  the  Mohammedan  rule 
is  daily  growing  more  and  more  oppressive,  and  the  un- 
fortunate Macedonians  are  being  slaughtered  under  the  very 
eyes  and  with  the  full  cognisance  of  the  Turkish  officials, 
both  civil  and  military. 

In  Constantinople  it  is  believed  that  a  serious  entente 
regarding  Macedonia  exists  between  Italy  and  Austria,  and 
this  belief  is  based  upon  Signer  Tittoni's  recent  declaration. 
From  information  I  gathered  from  very  reliable  sources, 
however,  I  am  in  a  position  to  state  that  the  Turkish  fears 
are  utterly  groundless.  An  entente  exists,  but  only  in  regard 
to  Servia,  Bulgaria,  and  Northern  Albania.  Austria  desired 
that  Montenegro  should  be  included,  but  Italy — for  very 
obvious  reasons — made  the  complete  independence  of  that 


THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED  303 

valiant  little  country  one  of  the  stipulations.  Hitherto  Italy 
and  Austria  have  carried  on  separate  propagandas,  but  it  is 
quite  certain  that  the  two  are  now  amalgamated,  and  will  in 
future  work  towards  one  common  end. 

Turkey  has  nothing  to  fear  from  either  Austria  or  Italy, 
but  from  Bulgaria  and  Germany— from  the  former,  who  will 
assert  her  rights  ;  and  from  the  latter,  who  will  eventually 
play  the  traitor  and  crush  her. 

My  conversations  at  the  Sublime  Porte,  in  those  shabbily 
furnished  rooms,  with  seedy  officials  offering  me  cups  of  coffee, 
were  often  very  amusing.  I  had  really  credited  the  Turk  with 
more  shrewdness,  for  the  Oriental  is  usually  supposed  to  be  the 
finest  diplomat  in  all  the  world.  Yet  from  the  Grand  Vizier 
downwards  to  the  men  -  in  -  the  -  street,  they  are  all  held 
fascinated  under  the  benign  smile  of  Germany. 

Assurances  were  given  me  during  those  audiences  with 
the  rulers  of  Turkey  that  all  was  being  done  that  could  possibly 
be  done  in  Macedonia ;  that  reports  of  massacres  were  exag- 
gerated; that  the  Turks  were  actually  protecting  the  Bulgarians, 
and  that  the  Macedonian  question  was  not  at  all  a  serious 
one. 

I  will  give  one  instance.  It  was  admitted  to  me  during 
one  of  my  audiences  at  the  Sublime  Porte,  that  "  a  few  inci- 
dents "  had  occurred,  but  I  was  assured  that  they  were  not 
serious,  and  that  all  was  now  quiet  in  Macedonia. 

In  reply,  I  pointed  out  that  on  November  7  last  (Old 
Style)  a  Greek  band  descended  upon  the  village  of  Karadjovo, 
and  having  disembowelled  seven  men,  killed  twenty-live 
Bulgarians.  They  then  massacred  most  of  the  women  and 
children  in  the  village,  and  calmly  went  off. 

I  was  then  officially  informed  that  it  had  been  discovered 
that  a  certain  Greek  consul  had  been  implicated  in  this  raid, 
and  that  arms  had  been  supplied  through  him.  The  Turks 
had  therefore  made  a  strong  protest  to  Athens,  and  sent  four 
battalions  in  pursuit  of  the  assassins. 

At  Salonica,  ten  days  later,  I  saw  one  of  the  peasants 
present  at  this  massacre  in  question,  and  the  description  he 
gave  of  it  was  horrifying.     His  version  of  the  affair  was  very 


304  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

different  from  the  official  Turkish  version,  for  he  declared  that 
the  Turks  themselves  aided  the  assassins  and  allowed  them 
to  get  clear  away.  Twenty-five  women  were,  he  said,  outraged 
and  afterwards  killed.  One  woman  had  her  hands  cut  off, 
and  another's  feet  were  burnt  over  a  fire.  Other  facts  he  told 
me  were  too  terrible  to  repeat  here. 

Though  the  Porte  may  have  made  formal  protest  to  Athens, 
there  is  but  little  doubt  that  the  Turks  were  implicated  in 
the  massacre  —  as  they  are  in  most  of  those  "regrettable 
incidents,"  as  they  are  called,  which  daily  occur  in  the  Land 
of  Black  Terror. 

Permission  was  readily  granted  to  me  to  travel  through 
the  country,  but  it  certainly  would  not  have  been  had  it  been 
known  that  beyond  the  lake  of  Ochrida  I  intended  to  disre- 
gard my  Turkish  escort  and  throw  in  my  lot  with  the  Bulgarians, 
declared  by  the  authorities  to  be  "  insurgents,"  in  order  to 
see  for  myself. 

I  arrived  at  the  village  of  Ghilposte,  in  the  Seres  district, 
two  days  after  a  Greek  band  had  descended  upon  the  little 
place,  and  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes  traces  of  their  terrible 
atrocities.  They  had  blown  up  ten  houses  by  dynamite,  and 
capturing  four  men,  two  women,  and  a  baby  one  year  old, 
had  deliberately  burned  them  all  alive,  as  well  as  outraging 
three  other  women. 

The  leader  of  the  Bulgarian  organisation  for  the  protection 
of  the  defenceless  people  furnished  me  with  a  complete  list 
of  all  the  atrocities  committed  by  the  Greek  bands  during 
the  past  year,  but  it  is  so  long  and  the  details  are  so  revolting 
that  I  do  not  feel  justified  in  including  it  in  these  pages. 

The  Turk  is  indeed  a  strange  product.  He  hopes  always 
to  persuade  the  foreigner  into  adopting  his  own  views.  More 
than  once  I  was  told  in  Constantinople  that  there  had  been 
no  massacres  in  Macedonia  this  year,  and  that  the  country, 
especially  in  the  vilayet  of  Monastir,  was  quite  quiet ! 

I  went  there,  and  discovered  the  exact  opposite  to  be 
the  case.  In  Constantinople  also  I  was  strongly  persuaded, 
by  interested  persons,  not  to  go  to  Macedonia  ;  but  I  went, 
and  I  saw  things  that  it  was  not  intended  that  I  should  see. 


General  Tzontcheff  in    Macedonia. 


The  Turkish    Burial-ground  at  Scutari,  Asia  Minor. 


THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED  305 

I  had  travelled  all  through  the  Balkans  in  order  to  learn 
the  real  truth,  and  I  did  not  intend  to  miss  out  Macedonia. 
Turkey,  of  course,  makes  capital  out  of  the  fact  that  the 
Vlachs,  or  Roumanian  population,  are  between  the  devil 
and  the  deep  sea.  These  unfortunate  Macedo-Roumanians 
live  under  the  cross  fire  of  Greek  and  Bulgar,  each  of  whom 
claims  the  right  to  save  their  souls.  The  Turks  point — and 
perhaps  justly — to  this  fact  as  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  the 
present  disturbed  state  of  Macedonia.  The  Turk  pretends 
to  be  asleep,  and  to  disregard  the  intrigues  of  the  other  Powers, 
but  the  fact  is  that  he  is  very  wide  awake,  and  knows  quite 
well  that  hostilities  must  break  out  at  a  very  early  date. 
Only  he  is  misled  by  Germany,  alarmed  by  a  bogey  put  forward 
by  Austria  and  Italy,  and  a  little  afraid,  at  times,  of  British 
protests. 

There  remains  Roumania.  Her  attitude  is  a  very  serious 
consideration  in  discussing  the  immediate  future  of  the  Balkans. 

In  Bucharest  I  found  that,  although  a  Federation  of  the 
Balkan  States  would  be  welcomed,  yet  one  fact  is  still  re- 
membered. In  1888,  when  the  Bulgarians  offered  the  crown 
of  Bulgaria  to  King  Charles  of  Roumania,  as  the  first  step 
towards  a  Federation,  both  Russia  and  Austria  opposed  it  so 
strongly  that  the  King  was  unable  to  accept.  Roumania's 
position  towards  Macedonia  is  now  one  of  armed  inactivity. 
Though  the  Macedo-Roumanians  are  slaughtered  by  the  Greek 
bands,  Roumania  is  compelled  to  stay  her  hand  and  offer  no 
defence,  because  alone  and  unaided,  her  protest  would  be 
worse  than  useless. 

That  she  will,  ere  long,  ally  herself  with  Bulgaria  against 
the  Turks,  my  confidential  information  goes  to  show.  She 
desires  a  better  frontier  from  the  Danube  to  the  Black  Sea, 
and  in  order  to  obtain  that  concession  from  Bulgaria  she 
will  assist  her  to  drive  the  Turk  from  Macedonia. 

There  is,  however,  a  far  more  serious  consideration,  and 
one  which  has  been  overlooked  by  British  statesmen  and  the 
British  public. 

During  my  journey  of  inquiry  I  made  careful  investigation 
into  certain  suspicious  facts  and  certain  clever  intrigues.     The 

29 


3o6  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

inquiry  was  an  exceedingly  difficult  one.  for  the  truth  is  well 
guarded,  for  very  obvious  reasons. 

The  result,  however,  reveals  a  state  of  affairs  of  which 
we  in  England  have  been  unfortunately  ignorant,  and  which, 
here  exposed,  should  claim  immediate  attention  by  every  right- 
minded  and  patriotic  man. 

The  truth  briefly  is  this.  The  recent  war  between  Russia 
and  Japan,  the  question  of  Morocco,  the  perturbation  in  Europe 
by  the  Russian  defeats  and  revolution,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
weakness  of  the  Macedonians  made  greater  by  the  rivalries 
between  the  Balkan  nations,  on  the  other,  have  of  late 
diverted  the  attention  of  Europe  from  the  Near  East. 

But  this  is  only  a  lull  before  the  storm — a  storm  that  must 
break  in  the  near  future,  and  which  surely  will  have  a  world- 
wide significance.     The  countries  denominated  by  the  general 
name  of  the  Near  East  are,  by  their  geographical  position  and 
fertility,  of  immense  importance.     They  have  been  the  cradle 
of  the  ancient  civilisation  and  of  rich  and  powerful  empires. 
The  shores  of  the  -^gean  Sea  and  of  the  Eastern  Mediterranean 
were  once  the  most  populated,  and  their  commerce  and  wealth 
were  unrivalled.      The  vast  fertile  provinces  of  Asia  Minor 
have  been  the  granaries  of  the  Roman  and  Byzantine  empires  ; 
while  the  valleys  of  Euphrates  and  Tigris  breathed  abundance 
and   luxury.     Histor}^   is   eloquent   testimony   of   their   past 
splendour.     The  reason  of  their  gloomy  present  does  not  lie 
either  in  the  exhaustion  of  the  soil  or  in  the  loss  of  their  geo- 
graphical importance,  but  only  in  the  administration  which 
the  Turk  has  established  for  centuries  over  them.     A  change 
in  the  administration  will  bring  resurrection.     Nay,  the  means 
and   resources  of  the  present  civilisation  must  call  forth  in 
them  an  immense  economical  development. 

Germany,  with  her  usual  foresight,  has  ever  been  on  the 
alert. 

Towards  this  Near  East  with  gloomy  present,  but  with  a 
glorious  future,  the  German  policy  has  thrown  covetous  eyes. 
When  Bismarck  made  his  famous  declaration — that  the  Eastern 
Question  was  not  worth  the  bones  of  a  Pomeranian  grenadier — the 
German  policy  was  already  maturing  a  vast  plan  of  penetration 


THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED  307 

in  the  Near  East.  The  real  truth  is  that  the  basis  of  this 
pohcy  of  penetration  was  the  maintenance  of  the  Turkish 
rule,   as   a  means  for  its   realisation. 

The  true  extent  of  German  intrigue  is  not  realised  in 
England,  therefore  I  may  as  well  explain  that  the  policy  was— 

1.  Support,  and  even  encouragement,  of  the  despotical 
regime  in  Turkey,  in  order  to  obtain  the  absolute  confidence 
of  Sultan  Hamid. 

2.  Grasp  of  the  reorganisation  of  the  Turkish  Army,  and 
use  it  as  her  instrument. 

3.  Gain  a  dominant  position  in  the  Turkish  finances. 

4.  Lay  hold  on  the  communications  of  the  empire,  and 
thus  become  the  master  of  her  economical  development. 

A  full  expansion  was  given  to  this  policy  after  the  accession 
to  the  throne  of  William  11.,  who  in  his  first  visit  to  the  Sultan 
in  1889  laid  the  foundation  of  mutual  friendship  and  admira- 
tion between  the  two  rulers. 

The  results  are  astonishing.  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century  the  German  net  has  been  cast  over  the  whole  body 
of  the  Turkish  Empire.  German  diplomacy  is  paramount 
to-day  in  Constantinople.  The  Turkish  Army  has  been 
reorganised  upon  the  Prussian  system,  and  is  under  German 
control.  The  finances  of  the  Turkish  Empire  are  gradually 
becoming  a  dependency  to  the  German  banks  by  loans  and 
concessions,  which  are  constantly  increasing.  By  the  great 
railway  from  the  Bosphorus  to  the  Persian  Gulf,  opening  up 
by  its  branches  the  most  fertile  provinces  of  Asiatic  Turkey, 
Germany  becomes  master  of  the  economical  development  of 
this  part  of  the  Sultan's  empire. 

Thus  the  economical  and  political  influence  of  the  Germans 
has  been  so  much  extended  and  has  gained  such  a  domination, 
that  the  Turkish  Empire  is,  in  a  sense,  already  a  German 
protectorate.  No  act  of  importance  is  possible  in  Turkey 
without  the  knowledge  and  influence  of  Germany.  Every 
act  of  Abdul  Hamid  is  under  the  control  and  direction  of 
German  diplomacy.  Allemania  hisum  dostour  {"  Germany  is 
our  friend  ")  is  a  saying  which  has  penetrated  even  into  the 
mass  of  the  Turkish  nation,  and  the  Kaiser  has  a  full  right 


3o8  AN  OBSERVER  IN  THE  NEAR  EAST 

to  boast  himself  as  the  protector  and  champion  of  the 
Mussulmans. 

In  the  Balkan  Peninsula,  on  the  European  side,  the  pioneer 
of  the  German  policy  is  the  Austro-Hungarian  Empire,  By 
tradition,  by  its  dynasty,  and  by  its  alliance,  Austria  plays 
the  role  of  vanguard  to  the  German  advance  towards  the 
Near  East.  The  occupation  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  has 
made  Austria  a  Balkan  power,  and  her  plans  are  ready  for 
the  march  of  an  Austrian  army  southward  to  the  Gulf  of 
Salonica,  which  will  bring  her  in  touch  with  the  ^Egean  Sea 
and  make  her  the  ruler  over  the  whole  Peninsula.  In  the 
meantime,  she  is  strengthening  her  political  and  economical 
influence  in  Servia  and  Albania  by  the  same  methods  as  used 
by  the  Germans. 

In  the  midst  of  this  land  activity  in  the  Near  East,  the 
importance  of  the  ^gean  Sea,  which  is  the  necessary  link, 
was  not  lost  to  view.  A  footing  was  sought,  and  the  island 
of  Thassos  was  chosen  as  the  foundation-stone  of  the  future 
naval  power  in  the  Eastern  basin  of  the  Mediterranean.  This 
island  was  picked  upon  because,  in  the  first  place,  it  would  not 
attract  attention,  and,  in  the  second  place,  because  it  would 
serve  admirably  the  German  plans.  Thassos  has  a  good 
geographical  position  in  the  ^Egean  Sea.  It  is  not  far  from 
the  Dardanelles,  the  door  to  Constantinople,  and  is  very  near 
the  Macedonian  shore,  being  in  the  very  entrance  of  the  port 
of  Kavala. 

With  a  naval  base  on  this  island,  Germany  would  gain  a 
still  greater  influence  in  Turkey,  and  especially  on  the  European 
and  Asiatic  shores  of  the  ^gean  Sea.  According  to  trust- 
worthy information  which  I  have  obtained  in  confidence,  a 
vast  German  activity  is  contemplated  upon  these  shores  in 
the  very  near  future. 

Thus  the  Germans,  with  the  aid  of  the  Turkish  regime 
and  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  are  cleverly  paving  their  way 
towards  the  Near  East,  and  preparing  the  foundation  of  a 
"  Fatherland  "  stretching  from  the  Baltic  to  the  Indian  Ocean. 

As  Germany  has  already  championed  the  cause  of  Turkey 
in  Europe,  what  is  to  prevent  her  from  carrying  her  influence. 


THE  TRUTH  EXPOSED  309 

at  an  early  date,  over  Egypt  and  the  whole  peninsula  of  India, 
where  she  will  find  sixty  millions  of  Mussulmans,  who  fully 
recognise  that  England  has  abandoned  her  policy  of  bolstering 
up  "  the  sick  man  "  for  many  years  past  ?  These  latter  would 
welcome  Germany  as  the  champion  of  Mohammedanism,  not 
only  in  Europe,  but  in  all  the  Mussulman  states  of  the  Eastern 
world. 

And  then  ? 

Surely  this  is  a  most  important  point,  which  should  very 
seriously  engage  the  immediate  and  earnest  attention  of  all 
British  statesmen  who  have  the  true  interests  of  our  Empire  at 
heart ! 


THE  END. 


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